Mitsuko's Story - Atem
by Itachiforever342
Summary: What if the Yu-Gi-Oh story had a twist in it? This is my take on one of my favorite series of all time! WARNING: SPOILERS FOR LATER ARCS IN THE STORYLINE!
1. Chapter 1: The Pharaoh Awakens

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

**Warning: This is a rewrite of a story I posted _years_ ago under a different screen name, so I'm _not_ stealing it from another author if any of you recognize it! And also, I will not acknowledge any flames about how I've twisted the canon storyline for this story! If you don't like it, don't read!**

*wipes sweat off brow* Okay, enough with that!

*beams and holds out chapter on a silver platter* I hope you enjoy this story!

* * *

**Mitsuko's Story - Atem**

**Chapter 1: The Pharaoh Awakens**

"Yugi! Mi! Anzu's here!"

A girl tied a blue ribbon in a bow around her other pigtail, her gold bangs hanging on either side of her face. She sighed and walked out of her room, knocking on her brother's as she passed, her black and pink hair bobbing as she did. "Come on, Yu-nii, we don't want to get scolded by the teacher."

A boy who looked almost exactly like her, save he had his hair in spikes, came out and tossed a gold box to her. "It's your turn, Mi-ne. I couldn't get any more of the pieces to fit."

She smiled as she slipped it into her backpack and murmured, "It'll get better soon, I know it. We haven't told Jii-chan, but it won't stay a secret if they keep bullying us."

He gave a tired smile and nodded. They walked down the stairs to the game shop their family owned and out the front door, where their grandpa, Sugoroku Mutou and their childhood friend, Anzu Mazaki, waited. The taller girl greeted, "Hey Yugi, hey Mitsu. We'd better get going if we're going to be on time."

The two violet-eyed fifteen-year-olds nodded in unison, before waving goodbye to their grandpa.

"I'll see you after school!"

"Bye, Jii-chan!"

"See you later, Jii-chan!"

When they were far enough away, Anzu sighed. "You two should get some guts, or at least tell your grandpa about what's happening at school. Those two shouldn't be able to get away with bullying you both, especially since hitting girls is cowardly."

Mitsuko grinned sheepishly and pushed up her large round glasses. "You know I'm a pacifist, Anzu. Yu-nii is too."

Yugi nodded. "I wouldn't raise my fists to another person, even if they asked me to."

As they passed the museum on their way, Mitsuko's eye caught a sign that proclaimed, "NEW EGYPTIAN EXHIBIT! THE MYSTERIOUS UNOPENED SARCOPHAGUS!"

She considered it before following her brother again. _I wonder if it has anything to do with the Millennium Puzzle that Yu-nii and I have struggled to complete these last eight years... Maybe I'll ask if he wants to go after school._

* * *

During lunch, Mitsuko took out the box that held the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle and began to work on it. Yugi and Anzu watched, until the brown-haired girl stretched and patted both their shoulders. "I'm going to play some basketball with the guys. Are you sure you don't want to?"

Mitsuko snickered and Yugi reminded his friend, "Basketball's for _tall_ people, Anzu."

She laughed and waved as she walked out of the classroom.

On cue, two older boys came into the room, who went by name: Katsuya Jonouchi and Hiroto Honda. Yugi tensed and tapped Mitsuko's shoulder. She turned and slammed the lid of the box in one movement, her magnified eyes fearful like a mouse that had just spotted a hawk's shadow on the ground.

"Hey there, you two. Whatcha lookin' at?" Jonouchi asked with a devious grin.

Mitsuko clutched the box to her chest and shook her head. "This is not yours to touch, Jonouchi-san, Honda-san! It's something precious our grandpa gave to us!"

"Oh, is that so, Mutou-chan?" Honda questioned in a sing-song voice, just as Jonouchi snatched it out of her hands like she wasn't even gripping it.

She gasped in surprise and horror as she jumped from her seat, her brother at her heels. "Please give it back Jonouchi-san! There's nothing inside that you could possibly want!"

"I get it, it's a treasure box. What's in it? Jewelry? Expensive makeup?"

"No, no, no!" she cried while shaking her head.

"Give it back to my sister, Jonouchi-kun!" Yugi shouted, his eyes wide and pleading.

"If you want it, go and get it."

He threw it out the window and the pieces flew everywhere until they dropped into the school's swimming pool. Mitsuko trembled so badly as she gazed at the water with terror in her eyes. "The Millennium Puzzle...Jii-chan's gonna kill me..."

She sprinted down to the pool and Yugi gasped. "Mi-ne, don't do it!"

"Oh come on, she's showing more guts than you by going after it Yugi," Honda pointed out with an amused smile on his face.

"MI-NE CAN'T SWIM!" the boy screamed before he dashed after his twin.

The two older boys looked at each other with an "oh crap" expression between both. They ran after Yugi, knowing that this prank had gone too far if the female Mutou was willing to risk losing her life for it.

Mitsuko didn't even bother taking off her shoes or glasses before she jumped in, only at the last second did she realize she'd never learned how to swim. She struggled to propel herself downwards towards the pieces of the Puzzle, but then ran out of air and tried to get to the surface, only for her clothes to weigh her down. _Am I going to die before I get my wish?_

She closed her eyes, only to feel a hand close around hers and pull her upwards. She gasped as her head broke the surface, but was confused to see she was floating even though she wasn't treading water. She looked to see who was holding her up, but saw no one.

"Mitsuko!" Yugi called, eyes relieved.

"Yugi!" she called back as she was brought back to the edge. "I got one piece!"

Honda and Jonouchi nodded to each other and jumped in, just as Yugi pulled her out. She coughed out water as bent over, her glasses falling to the floor, and her brother placed his hands on her shoulders. "Mi-ne..."

She held out her hand to show him she got the piece with the udjat on it. _To think it was this piece of all the pieces... Am I protected somehow by the Puzzle?_

A large hand rested on her shoulder and she looked up to see the blurry form Tetsu Ushio, the top hall monitor, looming over her. He asked in a gentle voice, "Did those boys cause all this?"

Mitsuko shook her head and pushed her glasses back on. "My box just fell and they're helping retrieve it, Ushio-san!"

Yugi nodded as he caught on to her lie right away. "That's right, Ushio-kun! You don't have to step in!"

Ushio frowned and gave them a stern look that made them shiver. "I'm sorry, but I saw the whole thing. They've been bullying you and I'm taking care of it personally."

The twins froze in fear as Jonouchi and Honda surfaced, each having one half of the pieces and the box. They set them on the edge of the pool and hauled themselves out, then stopped when they saw Ushio. He came up to them and grinned sadistically.

"So you've been picking on the Mutou twins, have you? Well, I'm going to take care of you for them."

Mitsuko jumped in front of the large man and held out her arms. "Don't touch them! They're our friends!"

Yugi joined her in a heartbeat and protested, "They just helped us, so don't beat them up!"

"If you don't want me to beat them, then I guess I'll have to take it out of _your_ hides."

Jonouchi and Honda watched the first few minutes before they popped and tried to defend the miniature teenagers, but got beaten up as well for interfering. They all lay on the ground after that, and Ushio pointed at the siblings. "For that, you owe me two hundred thousand yen...each."

"But that's four hundred thousand yen!" Mitsuko cried.

"You've got a problem with that? You pay me by tomorrow," He drew a knife and licked it, "or I'll take your _lives_."

He smirked triumphantly as he walked off.

Mitsuko grimaced as she pushed herself onto her hands and looked over at Jonouchi when he said, "You really got guts, Mutou-chan. Sticking up for us when all we've done is bully you... Thanks."

Honda grinned, even if his eyes betrayed his pain. "Me too, Mutou-chan. You and Yugi could've just walked away and let him beat us up, but you defended us when we almost got you drowned." He held out his half of the Puzzle pieces he'd retrieved. "Here, so you don't have to risk your life again."

Yugi received the other half via Jonouchi. "Thanks, Jonouchi-kun. You too, Honda-kun. You tried to fight for us when we were down, I saw you. I'd be proud to call you my friends, if you'd let me."

Jonouchi patted their heads. "Sure, if that's okay with you. Honda and I aren't the best guys around, but we can help you in a tight spot."

Yugi poured the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle back into the box that Mitsuko held and placed the lid on. "We'd better get going, the lunch bell just rang again."

"No way you're going back to class when you look like that!" Honda insisted. "You two are going with us to get patched up! I wouldn't trust going to the school nurse with Ushio-teme around."

They left school and at a park the two ex-bullies patched up the twins, before taking some for themselves. They sat on a bench and Mitsuko asked her brother, "What're we gonna do, Yu-nii? We don't have four hundred thousand between the two of us."

He shook his head. "I don't know."

She dropped her head in her hands. "We're dead."

Jonouchi and Honda exchanged a glance while the twins mourned for their doomed fate. They'd help in any way they could, even if they were really low on money too.

* * *

Once school was over, the friends parted ways and while Yugi and Mitsuko walked home, the girl twin pointed to the museum. "Why don't we go see that new exhibit? It might cheer us up a bit."

"Shouldn't we go home?"

"Come on! We hardly ever go out, since we're hardcore gamers! Besides, I'd bet Jii-chan would want us in better spirits when we get back."

"If you put it that way, let's go!"

They raced into the museum and looked up the directory for the "Mysterious Unopened Sarcophagus".

"It's on the second floor, in the back," Yugi said as he found the location.

"Oh good, where most of the people _won't_ be. I really don't like crowds."

"It _is_ a new exhibit, so we might be in for a surprise."

They traveled upstairs and towards the back, where a tour was being finished. They leeched onto the back of the small group and the guide stopped in front of the brand-new display, which, oddly enough, didn't have any glass around it.

"This is our newest exhibit: the sarcophagus that has never been opened, due to a complex lock that not even pouring a mold into it could unlock it. If you would come closer, you can see that the keyhole is oddly shaped, unlike the keyholes we have today. The archaeologists have never found the key, even with a thorough search of this pharaoh's tomb. The reason why we have this display not behind glass is because of the sheer weight of the piece, which took..."

Mitsuko took out the piece of the Millennium Puzzle that had the udjat on it and nudged Yugi, then nodded to the keyhole. He nodded back and both knew they had to try it out when everyone else was gone. They pretended to listen to the tour guide and when the group moved on, they approached the pharaoh's sarcophagus and she placed the piece in, only for a bright light to come from the spot, causing Yugi and Mitsuko to cover their eyes.

"**You who hold the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle, will be able to awaken the pharaoh's spirit within... Take him from this imprisonment and grant him his only wish...**"

The light faded just enough that Mitsuko could see the heavy lid open and a heartbeat sounded in her ears. She walked over to it and saw within the depths was a body, asleep inside. "Yu-nii, come help me out."

He came over and lifted the body out with her aid. They ended up with the head resting on her shoulder as she held the torso while Yugi held the feet. The sarcophagus closed again and locked, the piece of the Millennium Puzzle floating back into the box which was in her backpack. The light faded, and right away security officers came running in.

"There was a blinding light on the cameras! Are you two alright?!"

Mitsuko nodded in unison with her brother and answered, "We're alright, but our cousin swooned at the light. We're bringing him home to rest."

"Is he a big fan of Egyptology? Those clothes..."

"Oh yes," Yugi answered without missing a beat. "A _huge_ fan."

"Move along, then. We have to check to see if the sarcophagus' been damaged in any way."

"Yes sir," the twins chorused as they carried the body out of the museum.

Through much effort they got home and got the body upstairs to Mitsuko's room, where they got to have a closer look. "Wow, he must be a pharaoh, if he has this much gold on him, and these clothes are well made from what I can see," Mitsuko commented as she looked him over. "He looks like a long-lost Egyptian cousin, but an attractive one."

"We don't even know if we can wake him up, Mi-ne! We have different problems already, what with Ushio-kun demanding four hundred thousand yen after he beat us up! Do you want him to kill us?!"

She held a finger to her lips. "Shhh! Do you want Jii-chan to find us like this?!"

He squirmed before the bell that indicated that there was someone entering the shop. He groaned and pointed at her. "Wait here while I go see who it is. Don't do anything."

She shrugged and sighed, the impending doom she and her brother was about to face making her depressed. On instinct, she took out the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle and began putting them together. _There's no way Yu-nii and I can gather four hundred thousand yen before tomorrow, so we should tell Jii-chan, but then things would get ugly if Ushio-san lied and said there was no such threat on our lives. I feel so bad that I don't know what could save us. _She felt traitor tears leak from her eyes as she dropped her head, her nose level with the front of the nearly completed Millennium Puzzle. _Please, help us, anyone!_

A flash of gold light answered her as she pushed in the last piece. Her eyes flew open and she gasped in surprise as the udjat filled her vision.

"What—"

She suddenly was falling, a gold aura surrounding her as she was brought into what looked like a dark tomb. She floated just inches from the stone floor, and the confused girl looked around, only for a voice to ask, /Who are you?\\

Her violet eyes snapped to the direction the voice was coming from, only to see the pharaoh, his eyes just as confused as she felt. She parted her lips to answer, but he spoke again, coming closer as he did so.

/No, I must ask this first. Are you a goddess come to guide my spirit home? Your raiment is not what I am familiar with.\\

_He thinks I'm a goddess?! With this gold glow, I'm sure I look otherworldly, but a _goddess_? _She shook her head and answered honestly, /No, I'm not. I'm just a normal teenager from Domino, Japan. My name is Mutou Mitsuko.\

He blinked, his confusion almost tangible. /I'm afraid I don't understand.\\

/Um...well...\ She scratched the back of her head to try and find an explanation he would understand. /I'm fifteen years old, and I'm from the merchant class. Domino is the city I live in, and Japan is the country. Mutou is my family name, and Mitsuko is my given name.\

He looked thoughtful for a moment before he nodded. /I see. You are not of noble birth, yet you hold yourself like royalty.\\

/Most girls in my country are taught to have perfect stature. It's part of the customs we practice.\

/If you aren't a goddess come to guide me to the afterlife, then I must still be sealed in the Millennium Puzzle. Are you the one who completed it, since you are here?\\

She nodded. /I guess I was brought here to bring you out into your body.\

/My body was preserved? It must've been buried until the fated day I was to be released...\\

/May I ask _you_ a question, my pharaoh?\

/Yes, if I am able to answer it.\\

/What's _your_ name?\

A smile came to his lips then enveloped his features, which relaxed them and made her breath catch in her throat. /I am Pharaoh Atem, son of Pharaoh Aknamkanon.\\

/Well Atem-san, here.\ She held out her hand. /I'll take you from this place to the outside, where your body is.\

/Atem..."san"?\\

/I'll explain later, I promise.\

He took her hand and she flew upwards and out of the depths of the Millennium Puzzle, only to find she was being shaken like a rag doll by a frightened Yugi.

"MITSUKO! MITSUKO!"

She sat up and winced. "Ow...I must've passed out and my forehead hit an edge of the Millennium Puzzle..."

"Don't scare me like that! I thought you were _dead_!"

"I'm not dead, Yu-nii."

Their attention was turned to the occupant of the bed as Atem sat up, his eyes traveling about the room with interest and puzzlement. He saw Mitsuko and rose from the bed, his violet eyes locked on hers as he came over and got on one knee. "**Mitsuko, you have saved me from an eternity in the dark depths of the Millennium Puzzle. For such a selfless act, I will bestow the highest honor I can to you: you will be my queen.**"

Her eyes widened in complete shock. _I can understand him, even if he's speaking Ancient Egyptian?! We must be connected somehow if I can, so he'll probably be able to understand me too, but let's not be distracted here! QUEEN?! He wants me to marry him?! I'm only fifteen! Well, if you consider that most girls got married as soon as they started their period back then, but..._queen_? Why would he want to marry a complete stranger anyways?! He only talked to me for about five minutes before I brought—_

"Mitsuko, what did he say?" Yugi asked as he shook her shoulder. "I didn't understand a word of it."

"He told me that in gratitude for bringing him out of the depths of the Millennium Puzzle, he's going to make me his queen," she explained with a quiet, uncertain voice.

Atem looked at her with expectant eyes. "**Do you not accept my gift, Mitsuko?**"

A shiver went down her spine as his deep voice reached her ears. _That must be a sin to have a voice like that! It's a wonder that he didn't take a queen before this. _Any_ woman would've fallen at his feet to just hear a single word from him. For him to have such a deep, sexy voice at his age, he must have a voice like melted chocolate when he's actually an adult! _"May I have time to think on it, Atem-san?"

He nodded and stood, before asking, "**Who is this lad who stands next to you? A relative?**"

"He's my twin brother, Yugi."

Yugi frowned and demanded, "What'd he say?"

"He asked who you were, so I answered."

"How can you understand him when I can't?"

"It must be the bond we now share, since I completed the Millennium Puzzle."

"You did?! Let me see what it looks like!"

She held it up and he laughed, excited to see the completed work. "It's cool, isn't it?"

"More like totally awesome! I never thought _you_ would be the one to complete it!"

Atem grew tired of not being able to understand Yugi, so he asked, "**Mitsuko, you promised to explain to me what you meant by putting that strange word after my name.**"

"Oh, sorry! Here in Japan it's similar to the titles that are amongst nobility and royalty, except we use them for everyone, depending on how well you know a person. I've just met you, so I use the suffix 'san' after your name, unless, since you're the pharaoh, I should put 'sama' or even 'dono'..."

Yugi snorted. "No one uses 'dono' anymore, Mi-ne."

"I know, but it would be as close...no wait. I know! I'll call you Atem-ou!"

"**Atem-ou? What does 'ou' mean?**"

"It means 'king' in my language."

"**That is acceptable. If you are to be my queen, which of these titles should I use for you when addressing you?**"

"Well, I don't know, even if 'san' is the general one for everyone, but if you want a higher one, I guess you could call me 'Mitsuko-sama'."

"You're gonna let him use 'sama' on you?"

"If I accept to be his wife in the future, then yes, I think it would be appropriate."

Just then, Sugoroku entered the room. "What's all this fuss about?" He paused as he took in the scene, before getting on one knee with a little trouble. "**Pharaoh, it seems that you've been resurrected at last. Welcome back to the world of the living.**"

Atem looked surprised, as did Yugi and Mitsuko, that the old man could speak the pharaoh's language fluently. "**Siamun? Is that you?**"

Sugoroku shook his head. "**I am not your former advisor, my pharaoh, but a reincarnation, as Yugi is yours. My name right now is Mutou Sugoroku.**"

"**Of what relation are you to Mitsuko-sama?**"

"**I see you've picked up honorifics already from her. I'm her and Yugi's grandfather, so you may call me that as well once you get to know me, but for now, if you'd like, you can call me Sugoroku-san.**"

"**Everything is so strange here.**"

"**It would be, you **_**are**_** three thousand years in the future, and very, very far away from your homeland of Egypt.**"

"**Three thousand years?!**"

"**Yes. I might be one of the only people left who knows your mother tongue so well.**"

"**Yet I understand your granddaughter as well as you.**"

"**It must be the power of the Millennium Puzzle. When she completed it, it must've bound your souls together so that you can understand her, and she can do the same with you, yet you nor she can understand another person speaking the other's native language.**"

"**So she cannot understand you?**"

"**No, that's why she's looking somewhat lost, while Yugi has no idea what we're saying at all.**"

"**You did not teach them my language?**"

"**I had no clue **_**when**_** you would come back to life, but I knew you would with the completion of the Millennium Puzzle. Yet one thing has surprised me: that Mi was the one to do it, instead of Yugi. It must be because she's his twin and shares his genes closely, so she's a female reincarnation of you.**"

"**I see. I have much to learn about this time and place, if I'm to reside here.**"

"**Of course, my pharaoh.** Yugi, would you go start dinner? I can see you're getting frustrated with not understanding the pharaoh."

Yugi nodded and walked out, eager for an escape. Mitsuko asked, "Jii-chan, should we get Atem-ou some new clothes? I doubt people will believe for long that he's just in a costume because he's a huge fan of Egyptology."

"Of course, we'll do it tomorrow, because it's a Sunday."

She suddenly turned pale after Sugoroku left. Atem noticed and queried, "**Is there something that grieves you, Mitsuko-sama?**"

She began to shake and fell off the chair to her knees. "After all this, I almost forgot about the deadline for us."

He looked confused, so she evaluated. "Someone's trying to extort a lot of money from Yugi and me and we have to pay it by tomorrow or he'll kill us. It's impossible for us to even get close to paying it back, so we're doomed."

His eyes narrowed and an udjat appeared on his forehead. "**No one threatens my future queen or her family. Tell me everything, and I'll aid you in getting rid of this scum.**"

She sighed and nodded. _I hope he doesn't do anything extreme, but he's the pharaoh, he doesn't know that he's under any rules save his own, and I'm not explaining that to him._

* * *

After dinner, which was quite the learning experience for Atem, everyone went to bed (Atem got a sleeping bag and a pair of Yugi's pajamas).

In the early morning, Atem got up and put on Yugi's school uniform, then called through the mental link he shared with Mitsuko, /Mitsuko-sama, wake, for I need your help with avenging you and your brother.\\

Mitsuko blearily looked at the clock on her nightstand once she'd put on her glasses. /Do you have any idea what time it is?\

/Now is the perfect time to strike.\\

/Fine.\

She got up and dressed, putting the Millennium Puzzle around her neck. /I don't know why we have to do it so early.\

/There's no rest for the wicked.\\

/That is _so_ corny.\

/"Corny"?\\

/Never mind.\

They sneaked out of the game shop and reached the school grounds. Ushio waited there and grinned at their appearance.

"Well if it isn't the two pipsqueaks. Ready to cough it up or die?"

Mitsuko spoke up first, since it would show she was going to translate for Atem (who'd added gold ankhs that were attached to his jacket sleeves with black leather bracelets, which she thought looked cool). "My friend would like to play a game with you, for not only four hundred thousand yen, but _eight_ hundred thousand."

Ushio's interest was piqued at the mention of double the money. "A game? What does it entail?"

/Do I gotta explain it? It's so dangerous and scary.\

/He won't understand me, go on.\\

"Each of you will place the stack of bills on the back of your hand and using your knife, will stab through the stack. You can take no less than ten bills at once, although there's no limit to how much you can take. Whoever ends up with the most money wins, but if you break the rules, a penalty game awaits you."

"Is your runt brother mute tonight?"

"Laryngitis."

"Whatever, just start this up."

The pair played, getting closer and closer to their hands with the point of the knife, until Ushio began to struggle against his own greed, which was embodied by his hand. He tried to stab Atem instead, but the pharaoh leaped away, an udjat appearing on his forehead.

"Since you broke the rules, which he knew you would, a penalty game awaits you."

"Wha-what's with that strange eye on his forehead?!"

Atem spoke for the first time. "**It is an eye only my opponents see before I pass judgment on them! Penalty Game! Illusion of Avarice!**"

"You're not—MONEY! MONEY EVERYWHERE!"

Atem placed an arm around Mitsuko and led her away. "**Let's leave him to his fate.**"

Mitsuko was terrified of the pharaoh's power, but she covered it up by complaining, "You ruined most of these bills, Atem-ou."

"**I'm sure Siamon won't be troubled by it.**"

"He _did_ fork over eight hundred thousand yen. Do you know how much we could've bought with this?"

"**He's an understanding person, more than you know at this time.**"

"Well, he _is_ the reincarnation of your advisor, so he's gotta be more than a weird old man."

"**He is very wise and will help us through many trials.**"

* * *

On Monday, Anzu was furious with Yugi and Mitsuko. "You two never told me that Ushio-san had chosen you as a target!"

"Who told you that?" Yugi asked, concerned that it was a rumor spread throughout school by now.

"Jonouchi and Honda did! They told me the whole thing and—Mitsu! Wow! You completed the Millennium Puzzle!"

The short girl nodded. "Yeah, I did. Pretty cool, huh?"

She recalled what Atem had told her the night before when she told him she was going to school the next day.

"_**Keep the Millennium Puzzle on you at all times, for if you're in trouble, I'll be able to feel it.**__"_

"_I seem to be a magnet for it."_

"_**A 'magnet'?**__"_

"_It comes to me, whether I like it or not."_

"_**Then I'll have to protect you often.**__"_

"_You'd better not follow me everywhere, Jii-chan needs your help around the house and the game shop."_

"_**I've never aided anyone in physical labor.**__"_

"_Jii-chan'll help you learn now. If you just sit around, you'll get fat."_

"_**That is true, even if I don't appreciate that statement.**__"_

She smiled and Anzu waved her hand in front of her friend's face. "Hello... Earth to Mitsu..."

"Oh, I'm sorry Anzu-chan! I just got distracted by an errant thought."

"It's okay, but if you get that way in class, the teacher'll get mad."

"Yeah."

"Did you guys hear? Ushio-san's been put in a nut house. Apparently he thinks everything is money now."

Mitsuko winced while Yugi was confused. _I can't tell them what happened! Atem-ou would be banished from our house for sure!_

* * *

When I posted this story last time, people accused me of not reading/watching the series because I deviated too far from the main storyline, so you can see here that I've obviously included elements from the first chapter of the manga. No doubts now!

Notes:

"**talking**" speaking in Ancient Egyptian

/talking\ Mitsuko speaking mentally to Atem

/talking\\ Atem speaking mentally to Mitsuko

I think that's it for now!

I hope everyone enjoyed this and...

Please review!


	2. Chapter 2: The Gang Meets The Pharaoh

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

A lot has been introduced in one chapter, so here's an interlude chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 2: The Gang Meets the Pharaoh**

A few days later, during lunch, Anzu asked, "I don't know how you two got befriended by these two jerks, but shouldn't you tell your grandpa? I think he'd have a word or two about these two hooligans."

"Hooligans?!" Honda protested.

"Nah, we quit that once we became Yugi-kun and Mitsuko-san's friends, Mazaki," Jonouchi countered. "Getting beat up like that in defense for someone else, it made us see the light. Right Honda?"

"Right!"

"We don't want to give our new friends a bad reputation, so we're trying to get better, see? It wouldn't be fair to them if we kept getting in trouble."

"I think Ushio knocked your brains loose," Anzu deadpanned. "Their grandpa is very particular on who befriends them. He's _never_ gonna approve of you."

Jonouchi growled then turned to the twins. "Can I come to your grandpa's house after school? I'm gonna prove I'm your friend!"

Mitsuko looked at Yugi, who smiled and nodded. "Sure! We'd love to have you!"

"Me too!" Honda chimed.

"Sure!" Mitsuko chirped, happy her two friends could come see her house.

* * *

So that afternoon the five of them walked to the game shop, Mitsuko entering first. She called, "We're home, Jii-chan!"

Sugoroku smiled as he came from behind a shelf. "Oh, just in time! I was bringing in a new shipment of games that just came out! Would you help with bringing them in? There's quite a few still in the truck and I didn't want our newest helper to strain himself too much."

"I'm sure he appreciates the exercise, Jii-chan," Yugi called as he came through the door.

"I can't complain about how hard he works, but he's not a one-man army, you know."

At the same time that Anzu, Jonouchi and Honda entered, Atem carried in a stack of three boxes, his head hidden by them as he asked, "**Siamun, where do you want me to put these?**"

"**Just put them next to the other ones,**" Sugoroku answered, then informed him, "**Yugi and Mi are back, and it looks like they brought some new friends with them.**"

"Is this guy a foreigner?" Anzu asked.

"Yes, he is. We were planning on him being a foreign exchange student, but he doesn't know much Japanese yet, so he'll have to learn the language first."

Atem put down the boxes and looked over at the newcomers, and Anzu gaped at him.

"Oh wow, he's a real hottie!"

"A _short_ one, that's for sure," Jonouchi pointed out. He then walked to Sugoroku. "I'm Jonouchi Katsuya, nice to meet you, Mutou-san."

"And I'm Honda Hiroto," Honda added as he came over too. "It's great to meet Yugi-kun and Mitsuko-san's grandpa."

/Who are they?\\ Atem asked Mitsuko.

/Mazaki Anzu is the girl, she's been our best friend since childhood, the one with the yellow hair is Jonouchi Katsuya, while the brown-haired one is Honda Hiroto, and they've been our friends for a few days. You can call them Mazaki-san, Jonouchi-san and Honda-san.\

"**It's an honor to meet you, Mazaki-san, Jonouchi-san and Honda-san. You are blessed by the gods to be friends of such noble and selfless people as Yugi-san and Mitsuko-sama.**"

"What did he say, Jii-chan?" Yugi asked.

"He greeted your friends in a proper way, Yugi. Would you go check to see if there's anything else in the truck? I want to speak to your new friends."

"Okay, Jii-chan."

Mitsuko was starstruck by how great Atem looked in his black wife beater and loose jeans, an ankh necklace adding to the look. He smiled at her and followed Yugi, and once he was gone, Sugoroku smiled proudly. "I'm glad Yugi and Mi have finally reached out and made some new friends. Take good care of them and I'll be good friends with you as well."

"So...who is this foreign guy? Does he have a name?" Anzu asked, cheeks flushed.

"I see you've taken a shine to him. I suggest you don't pursue him, he isn't the type to be attracted to more than one girl at a time."

"Is he dating anyone now?"

"Not at the present time—"

"He's the perfect guy for me!"

_Go right ahead, that's one less thing I have to worry about. If Atem-ou likes her better, maybe I won't have to be his queen._

Anzu stood by the door as Mitsuko emptied the boxes of games and when Atem came through the door, she asked, "What's your name? I'm Mazaki Anzu."

Atem blinked in confusion before Mitsuko supplied, /She wants to know your name.\

/I will not give my name to just anyone, I'm the pharaoh. Is there a name in your language that would describe me?\\

/How about...Yami?\

/"Yami"?\\

/It means darkness.\

/Very fitting.\\ "**Yami.**"

Jonouchi and Honda came through the doorway, each with a couple boxes. "Hey Mazaki! Budge up, will ya? We're trying to unload here!"

Anzu pouted, but stepped back so the boys could put their burdens down. But once they were done, she followed them out. Mitsuko watched as her friend tried with very little success to talk to Atem, the pharaoh ignoring her since he had no idea what she was saying. The brown-haired girl stopped after a bit and sighed as she helped her female friend with the unloading and shelving.

"I didn't know a language barrier would be so difficult to breach. Do you know _any_ Egyptian, Mitsu?"

Mitsuko shook her head. "I'm as lost as you are. Only Jii-chan knows the language, and I'm sure it'd take a long while to even understand a few words. It's really complex and I don't want to accidentally say something that might offend him."

"Do you know why he said a random Japanese word?"

"Maybe that's his name?"

"Why would an Egyptian have a Japanese name?"

"Why don't you ask Jii-chan?"

Anzu shrugged. "At least I have something to call him by."

She walked over to Atem again. "Yami-san?"

He looked up and motioned for her to continue.

"Do you want to go out for a soda after this? You're probably thirsty."

/She wants to go get something to drink with you.\

/Why?\\

/Nowadays, it's how people get to know each other.\

/I'm afraid I must decline, for I cannot understand her and she me.\\

/Well, tell her so.\

He shook his head.

"No? So you understand _some_ Japanese?"

"He knows some words, but not enough to hold a conversation," Mitsuko explained.

"How long do you think it'll take for him to learn?"

"I don't know, weeks, perhaps months."

"I don't want to wait that long! Isn't there something your grandpa can do to help him learn faster?!"

"Nope."

"Maybe he needs a tutor! I'll be more than happy to help!"

"Good luck."

* * *

For the next several days, Anzu visited every day to try and teach Atem Japanese. Sugoroku often interfered with this so the pharaoh wouldn't get too frustrated and isolate himself.

"Anzu, what you're doing isn't helping. Yami-kun is doing just fine learning from listening to Yugi, Mi and myself."

"But he hardly knows a few words!" Anzu insisted as Atem straightened the shelves under Mitsuko's watchful gaze. "How could he possibly integrate into our society by the time the school year is over?!"

"Actually, he's staying for much longer than that, but he's actually learning at an impressive pace. He actually asked me a question in broken Japanese today. He still has a very strong Egyptian accent, but in time he'll be understandable to everyone."

"**Where does this go?**" Atem asked Mitsuko.

She shook her head. "In Japanese, or else I'm not giving you the answer."

His brow creased as he struggled to remember the Japanese translation for his question. He then asked with a heavy Egyptian accent, "Where does this go?"

"It goes on the lower shelf," she answered with a smile. "You're getting better all the time, Yami-san."

/It's tiring to have to learn by complete immersion. The only one who can speak my native tongue is Siamun.\\

/You're learning better than most people in this time. I think I'm learning Egyptian slowly as well.\

/Then say, "I am the queen of Egypt."\\

/Why would I do that?! It isn't true!\

/It is true that you haven't given me an answer, but it should help you with practicing.\\

She frowned but muttered, "**I am the queen of Egypt.**"

He smiled and nodded. "**You're getting better, Mitsuko-sama.**"

Anzu put her hands on her hips. "But he'd learn a lot faster if there were more people around to talk to! He doesn't even try to answer me when I talk to him!"

"He does the same to Yugi, so don't feel angry, Anzu," Sugoroku countered as he looked through a gaming magazine. "You'll have to wait until he learns better Japanese to get an answer from him."

"He sure tries hard when Mitsu talks to him, and they talk together like they're the best of friends!"

"Now, now, Anzu, don't be jealous. They hit it off from the first and she's patient with him as he learns the customs and language. Even I don't talk to him as much as she does."

"So she treats him like a friend?"

"Yes, from what I've observed of their interactions. They don't feel any special connection, although I've seen—"

"Mitsu! Come here for a second!"

Mitsuko raised her eyebrows as she came over to her friend. "What, Anzu?"

"What is it about you that made you two click from the very first?"

"I think it's because we're very much alike. We both like all sorts of games and stuff like that. We can talk for hours about all kinds of games from both our countries, plus it helps the two of us learn the language of the other." _Well, he also follows me around wherever I go, so as to learn more about me. I've had to explain more embarrassing things than I _ever_ want to for the rest of my life. The first time he asked what a pad for my period was too mortifying to recall again!_

"Has he ever asked about the Millennium Puzzle? He might know something about it!"

_Putting this question aside..._ "Yami-kun is actually very good at astronomy. He picked up on all the constellations faster than any kid in school! It was really impressive!"

"Why are you dodging my question? _Does_ he know something?"

"No, why would he? Just because he's from Egypt, doesn't mean he'd know about this old thing." _I can't tell her that Atem-ou's spirit resided in the Millennium Puzzle and his body was preserved inside his sarcophagus for three thousand years and by completing the Millennium Puzzle, I freed him! She wouldn't believe me anyways!_

/I sense that Mazaki-san's earlier inquiry has caused this anxiety. Is something the matter?\\

/She wants to know if you know about the Millennium Puzzle! She wouldn't believe that you sealed your soul into the Millennium Puzzle and your body was put to sleep and preserved by magic for three thousand years! I looked on the internet and in the library for hours and I haven't found anything pertaining the Millennium Items or your rule! It's as if you never existed! She'd call it a part of Egyptian mythology if I told her such a story!\

/Siamun did tell me that most people in this time don't believe in magic. The only reason you and your family do is because you've seen it with your very eyes.\\

_Me especially. That "Shadow Game" he played with Ushio-san was the scariest thing I've ever seen. I'm sure even Jii-chan hasn't witnessed a real Shadow Game._ /Yeah—\

"Mitsu...Earth to Mitsu!"

Mitsuko blinked and realized she'd spaced out again. "Oh! Sorry, Anzu!"

"Are you okay? Your eyes went blank for a minute there."

"I'm fine. I must've gotten lost in thought."

"You've been doing that lately. Did you hit your head or something?"

"No, really, I'm fine. I've just had a lot to think about lately."

"Okay..."

Atem called to Sugoroku, "**Is it odd for people to go into trances here?**"

"**Yes it is, Atem-ou. As I told you, what everyone in your time thought was normal, people here call 'unnatural' or 'insane'. If it's noticed by a teacher at school or a customer, she might just be admitted into a mental hospital.**"

"**It would be wise if I didn't contact her mentally in the middle of her conversations.**"

"**Very wise,**" Sugoroku agreed, before he turned the conversation to a more serious subject. "**What will you do if Mi refuses your offer to be your queen?**"

"**It is her fate, and mine. It's been prophesied from before I was born about how I would be awakened by my future queen and continue my line.**"

"**I read a text in your tomb about this, but much was scratched out.**"

"**It was done so by the order of the pharaoh after me, to protect such information being exploited by tomb robbers.**"

"**So you know it in full?**"

"**My father made sure I knew it from my youth. He knew that I wouldn't live long once I was crowned pharaoh. I wouldn't have time to leave an heir or even choose a wife. I was younger than her when I was crowned and only a short time later, I had to seal myself into the Millennium Puzzle.**"

"**So she's given you a second chance at life. You'd better act well, or else you'll spend the rest of it behind bars.**"

" **'Behind bars'?**"

"**In prison. People here don't take kindly to things that were everyday life back in your time. If you must do something, make sure it doesn't lead back to you.**"

Atem nodded in agreement. "**It would only cause trouble for the rest of you. I wouldn't want you to be troubled because of my careless actions.**"

"**That's very compassionate of you, my pharaoh. Would you have given it any thought during your time?**"

"**I might've been...ruthless against criminals, but to the innocent, I always showed compassion.**"

"**So you weren't a tyrant. That's good to know.**"

Mitsuko stopped talking to Anzu once she felt a great sense of pride from Atem and looked towards him. He merely smiled and nodded to Anzu, who looked confused by her sudden reaction. "Oh, where was I?"

* * *

That night, Mitsuko opened her skylight and climbed up onto the roof. She lay on her back and gazed at the stars, hands behind her head. _Things have changed since I completed the Millennium Puzzle, although not as drastically as I thought it would once my wish was granted. In fact, with all the confusion, I really don't know how strong my conviction was to getting my wish. Should I trust that this was the answer to my silent plea? For all I know, it could all end up as a big hoax. I've only believed in magic for little more than a week, even if it was done before my eyes._

She lifted the Millennium Puzzle so the front faced her. _I'm the current wielder of this magical pendant that I was destined to complete and awaken an ancient Egyptian pharaoh. For all I know, it could've just as easily been Yu-nii. I've noticed that ever since Atem-ou was awakened, we've been drifting apart. He's usually with Honda-san and Jonouchi-san, while I'm with Anzu and Atem-ou. I have to reconnect with him, or else this rift might get so big we don't even know each other anymore. Perhaps after school I should take him to the arcade and leave Atem-ou with Jii-chan for the afternoon. I know that he feels annoyance towards my behavior and that Atem-ou basically ignores him. If it were me, I would've felt left out, too. Yu-nii, it's a wonder you haven't snapped yet and yelled at me._

She turned her head to her brother's skylight and tapped her fingers against her arm. _Should I see if he's still awake? I know Atem-ou is deeply asleep, but Yu-nii is a night owl, like me. Yeah, I will._

With a grunt she pushed herself to her feet and walked over to the skylight, lightly knocking on it to alert her brother it was her. He came to it and opened the window so she could climb in. He gave her an annoyed look and muttered, "You haven't said two words to me outside of school in over a week and _now_ you want to talk?"

She nodded. "Sorry, Yu-nii. I didn't mean to..."

He smiled and hugged her. "I know, but I guess I was jealous that Atem-san was the center of your world, when it's just been the two of us since we were kids. Plus, you can understand him effortlessly while I'm completely in the dark about his side of the conversation. He isn't really the type to talk to anyone unless he knows what they're saying. I hope that he can branch out once he learns more Japanese."

"I'll make sure he does. I can't have him hovering over me all the time."

"He does seem to do that. It must be because of the connection you share. It's even closer than we have as twins."

"No matter what happens, you're my closest friend."

They hugged, before he asked, "Looking at the stars again?"

"Yeah, you know me."

"No wonder you were fascinated by how much Atem-san knew about them. You're the best in the class about that subject."

"If I wasn't such a manic gamer, I'd become an astronomer. I'd want to see things beyond what is seen with the natural eye, through the Hubble telescope and beyond. I'd want to name some newly-discovered stars, or even better, galaxies."

"Why don't you pursue your dream?"

"It would require going to college, and you know we can't work during high school, so getting the money for it would be hard, and I couldn't burden Jii-chan."

"Mi-ne, Jii-chan traveled the world! I'm sure he would support your dream of becoming an astronomer!"

"I can't put such a burden on him when he has two grandchildren to even get through high school, let alone what it would cost to get a master's, if not a doctorate, degree in college."

"I know that we're not the richest of families, but you would get far if you told Jii-chan you wanted to go to college to study astronomy! Not everyone has the talent or passion you have for the stars!"

She sighed and nodded. "Maybe I'll tell him senior year."

"Mi-ne, the longer you wait, the more Jii-chan will be upset that you didn't tell him earlier."

She stood up and walked to the window, climbing out. "Thanks for the encouragement, Yu-nii. I'm going to bed."

She closed the window and a pained look crumpled her face. _I know I should make more out of my life, but I don't want to leave what I have in this life behind. How could I? I have Yu-nii and Jii-chan, I can't abandon them._

Her eyes strayed to the star-filled sky and a thoughtful pout came to her lips. _But...it's been my dream since I was little, even if I only told Yu-nii. Could I pursue it when it's only been a leisurely pastime until now? I'd have to find something to fund my dream, even if there's nothing I can do job-wise._ /I would do anything to reach my dream...\

At that time, she sighed and retired to her room for some much-needed sleep.

* * *

Atem was very quiet the next few days, only speaking to anyone if they spoke to him first. Mitsuko began to be worried about him once the third day passed in this fashion, so she asked her grandpa about it.

"Jii-chan, what's going on with Atem-ou? He's been quiet for three days."

Sugoroku watched the former pharaoh as he straightened things on the shelves after a long day of helping mind the shop. His Japanese was getting better all the time because of his interactions with customers and the family, and Yugi was becoming less grumpy for being left out, now that he could hold pretty decent conversations with him. He'd realized quickly what Anzu's intentions were and gently told her that he wasn't interested, but that didn't seem to stop her, in fact, it fired the girl up, which made him confused. Jonouchi and Honda were getting to know him better as well when they visited the game shop, they even played games with him (failing at beating him once he knew the rules spectacularly) and when Yugi and Mizuko joined in, they had even more fun.

"Perhaps he's still acclimating himself to this new time and place. He's very curious by nature and we've played just about every game in the shop because of this. Don't worry, if he's stumped about something, he'll come to you if he keeps hitting the wall long enough."

"I hope so. I'm worried that he'll keep hitting it and _never_ talk to me."

"It's only been three days, not more. He'll come around."

"Okay, I'll leave him alone for now."

* * *

What could the pharaoh possibly be stewing about?

Please review!


	3. Chapter 3: Just Desserts Served

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh isn't mine!

Last chapter was when the rest of the gang met the pharaoh, now what next?

* * *

**Chapter 3: Just Desserts Served**

Mitsuko, Yugi and Anzu walked to school and met up with Honda and Jonouchi at the entrance.

"Hey guys!" Yugi and Mitsuko greeted in unison.

"Hey Yugi, Mi-san!" Jonouchi returned, and Honda chimed, "Hey you three!"

"Do you know what a TV van is doing in front of school?" Anzu asked, nodding to said van.

"I'll go see," Mitsuko offered, Yugi following her automatically. She smiled at her twin and they looked in. "It's no use, the window's too dark!"

"That girl right there, she's the one I want," a voice said from the inside, unheard by the teenagers. "Small, pathetic-looking, she's perfect."

"You sure, boss?"

"Yeah. With those dorky braids and glasses to add to the mix, we won't find a better bully magnet."

* * *

Everyone in school was excited that there might be a potential idol there to visit, even the girls, who thought it was a handsome guy. They were talking during lunch and when Mitsuko headed towards the bathroom, an older student, a boy, came up to her.

"Hey, you're Mutou-chan from the freshman class, right?"

She nodded. "That's me."

"I got some insider's information and there _is_ an idol here!"

Her eyes widened and she squealed, "Really?!"

"Yeah, and he wants to see you behind the school right now!"

Little did she know that Atem was paying _very_ close attention to her emotions and when they spiked with excitement, he asked her mentally, /Mitsuko-sama, what's going on?\\

/I'm going to see a _really_ hot and famous guy! He asked to meet _me_! I didn't think I was that cute that I stood out from all the other girls!\ she replied in the same manner and squealed. /This is a dream come true!\

/You should be careful, it might not be as it seems.\\

At the former pharaoh's wariness, she became wary as well. /What do you mean?\

Her attention was brought back to where she was when the nameless upperclassman announced, "We're here!"

She looked around and saw no one else. "Where is he?"

"Come here."

She leaned over and he whispered, "The truth is...this!"

He did a fierce uppercut to her chin, which made her drop onto her butt, her glasses flying off to the side. "Ow!" she yelped, holding her chin. "That _hurt_!" _What's he doing?!_

He grinned and walked over. "Well, you'd better get used to it, because there's more where that came from!"

He picked her up and socked her in the cheek, her head going fuzzy.

/Mitsuko-sama! Fight back!\\ Atem yelled in her head.

/I can't! I don't know how!\ she cried back, stumbling back to regain her footing.

/Run, then! I'm coming to help you!\\

She suffered a blow to her shoulder before she turned tail and ran blindly, not able to see where she was going. A voice she didn't recognize yelled, "Don't let her get away! We need more footage!"

The tiny teenage girl turned her head back a second to see the blurred forms of two men, one holding a video camera and the other pointing after her. _What's going on?! Am I being beat up on purpose?!_

A sharp pain at the back of her head knocked her down, and she got on hands and knees to get up and flee again, but a kick to her ribs made her cry out and fall back down on her stomach. She curled in a ball and let herself get kicked again and again, only to hear hurried footsteps and Atem's voice snarl, "What're you doing to her?!" with a heavy Egyptian accent.

The bully grunted as her protector drove a shoulder into his chest, as small as he was. She opened her eyes to see Atem was standing over her, his body in a stance she didn't recognize, and the other guy was on the ground, holding his chest. _Even with a camera rolling, I can tell if that bully persists, Atem-ou won't hesitate to kill him. From the very first I knew he was protective, but I'll live, it isn't that bad._ She stood with a whimper and the man standing next to the camera demanded, "Where did this kid come from?! He isn't wearing the school uniform!"

"I don't know!" the fake bully cried as he stood up. "I couldn't even understand what he said!"

"An exchange student who hasn't enrolled yet, perhaps?"

"I'm not getting closer, he looks like he'll _kill_ me if I try again!"

"He can't do anything if he knows what's good for him! He'll get caught on camera and arrested for assault!"

"I don't think he'd care, sir! He probably doesn't know Japanese well enough to understand the threat!"

"Mitsuko-sama, you should get back inside. I'll deal with this," Atem told her, not taking his eyes off of the one who hurt her.

"You can't," she whimpered, holding her abused ribs. "They're recording this whole thing."

"What do you mean, 'recording'?"

_I guess I'll have to refresh his memory on this modern technology._ "Remember television?"

"The box with the moving pictures."

"Yeah. This is how they make the moving pictures."

"You mean we could be on the box because of this?"

"Yes. Please, we should both go."

"Why would someone harm you so it could be on the box?"

"I think it's because they want to do a special on bullying at this school."

Atem tilted his head. "This is all a lie? He's hurting you so he can be paid money?"

"From what I've heard."

"Well then, we'll leave for now and once no one is around, a Shadow Game will be in order."

_Not one of those again. The last one scared me so much._ She shivered as she moved with him to the nearest door and they entered, where they went to the nurse's office as the bell for the end of lunch rang. The nurse gasped at the bruises and asked, "What happened? A bully?"

Mitsuko nodded with a wince, having replaced her glasses, which were really dirty from the ordeal. "He got me good."

Atem hovered at her shoulder as she was bandaged and an ice pack strapped to her side to make sure the bruises on her side didn't swell up.

"There we go. I'll give you an excuse slip so the teacher doesn't give you a tardy."

"Thanks."

Atem followed her to her classroom and the teacher noticed her first.

"Mutou, you're late."

_I gotta lie a little so this isn't made into a big mess._ "I'm sorry, I needed to go to the nurse's office. I fell down some stairs."

"I see. Who's the boy with you?"

"Oh, he's a friend who's going to be transferring to this school soon."

"Until he's enrolled, I'm afraid he's trespassing. Please ask him to leave."

"Yes sir," Mitsuko answered with a bow before she turned to Atem. "I'll be okay now, you can go back to the Game Shop."

He nodded and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Call me if there's more trouble."

He then left, all the girls murmuring amongst themselves about the handsome guy.

"Take your seat."

"Yes sir."

As she walked back to her seat, she heard the whispers of the girls she passed.

"Did you see who was behind Mutou-chan?"

"He was sooooo cute! I hope he transfers in soon!"

"His eyes were intense, like he could see right through you!"

"I wanna know his name!"

"What a hottie!"

Yugi, who sat next to her, asked in a low tone, "Why was Atem-san here? You didn't fall down some stairs, did you?"

She shook her head. "You know that TV van? I was lured to the back of the school and beat up so they could get some lifelike footage of someone being bullied. Atem-ou came to protect me and brought me to the nurse's office before here."

"What?!" he hissed, only for the teacher to snap, "MUTOU! You know the rules about talking during class! Go stand out in the hall, both of you!"

The twins flushed in shame as their classmates laughed at them, and both walked out into the hallway. Yugi turned to his sister and murmured, "Do you think they'll come back to do more?"

"I hope not. I don't think I could take much more when Atem-ou arrived." _I want him to stay out of trouble, but he gets so mad when I get threatened that I don't know how to stop him. He'll be doing another Shadow Game for sure._

"Are you okay? You look really scared."

"Atem-ou is really scary when he's angry."

"I'm sure, he probably was feared for it three thousand years ago."

"You think so?"

"Yeah, he had to be if he wanted to be respected and for _everyone_ to know he was displeased. I wonder if he's going to go after those people to deal with them."

"I hope he knows better than to do that..."

"He doesn't know that revenge is looked down upon in this day and age, and he _was_ a pharaoh, so his morals and ours are very different, Mi-ne."

"I know, Yu-nii, but it's like he's possessed by a demon of fury whenever he gets like this. Even though he's only gotten this way twice since he woke...I don't know what to do to calm him down."

"Mi-ne..." Yugi began, then paused, scratching the back of his neck. "I've been watching you two and...um...I think he actually likes you, beyond his debt to you."

Her eyes widened. "He does?! I never noticed!"

"You told me he mistook you as a goddess at first, right? Maybe he saw straight into your soul and there's something he really likes."

She squirmed and looked at her shoes. "I'm not pretty at all..."

"You don't really try very hard."

"What do you mean?"

"You don't wear makeup, do your hair, wear the latest fashions, stuff like that. You also put your hair in braids and don't wear contacts—"

"I don't really like to wear them, Yu-nii, you know that."

"Yeah, but you'd look cuter if you did. You could jump from being a nerd to a pretty girl if you'd take care of yourself better."

She blushed and frowned, fidgeting. _Is he trying to get me with Atem-ou? I know he likes Anzu, but for him to push me into Atem-ou's direction so I could hook up with him...I don't like it. _"What if I caught someone else's eye before Atem-ou got the guts to tell me? What then?"

"I think he'd try his hardest to tell you before you went out with the guy. Who were you thinking of, anyway?"

She shook her head. "No one in particular, since I haven't found anyone at school yet to crush on."

"So...nobody? You don't even _like_ Atem-san? You were checking him out when he first woke up."

"I don't know if I like the thought if having no choice in who I like. If I like him back, then it's good for the both of us, but I don't want people pushing me that way because he likes me."

"But Jii-chan says it's fated that you're going to be together!"

"All the more reason to _not_ go with the flow."

Yugi sighed. "I don't know if you should, Mi-ne. It's not good to challenge fate. Fate has a way of pushing back."

She scowled. "Then it'll be a pushing contest."

The door slid open and the teacher called, "All right you two, come back in and take your seats."

"Yes sir!" they called back.

* * *

On the way home, Anzu ranted, "Why does it seem that the rest of us are out of the loop whenever you get in trouble? Mitsu got beaten up and she had to rely on Yami-san to come save her! How did he know she was in trouble anyway?"

Mitsuko shrugged. "Intuition?"

"There's no way he _could_ know! I mean, unless you two have a psychic connection!"

"Why would we have something like that? We hardly know each other."

"He calls you 'Mitsuko-sama'! Unless he mistook that honorific as the normal one, he's using it on purpose! I'm your best friend, you can tell me what's going on!"

"You wouldn't believe me."

Just then, Atem came across their path. He turned his head towards Mitsuko and told her mentally, /It is done, Mitsuko-sama.\\

She looked up and asked fearfully, /What is?\

/I have avenged you, so have no fear of your experience appearing on the box with moving pictures.\\

/You did it by yourself? How did he understand you?\

/He understood that I wanted to play a game with him and the stakes were high. I've never lost a game, so you have no need to worry for my safety.\\

/These dangerous games aren't right! You might've been a pharaoh in the past, but now we don't have to do such things anymore!\

/I'm afraid you're wrong about that.\\

/Why?!\

/The reason I've been brought back to life is because the world is in danger.\\

/From what?\

/You need not worry about it right now.\\

/Hmph. Fine. I'm not gonna ask you about it again if that's how it's gonna be.\

She walked right past him, a displeased look on her face. He reached out and caught her arm. /You've told me that "ignorance is bliss". I'm trying to protect you from getting hurt because the Millennium Puzzle is only one of a set of seven. The other wielders may come after us because you have this one in your possession.\\

/I already told you that I'm a magnet for trouble, so why don't you just tell me these things so I'll be prepared when they come along instead of being surprised?\

/My first and foremost concern is to protect my future queen—\\

She threw off his hand and whirled around, her eyes in a hard glare. /Quit assuming that's what I'll be! What if I _don't_ want to be your bride?! Why don't I have a choice in this?!\

/It's your fate, Mitsuko-sama.\\

/Fate isn't something we have to follow! It's something we make for ourselves! So if I choose to be your queen, it'll be because I've chosen to be on my own!\

/If you become my queen, I'll be able to help you achieve your dream.\\

_Bribery?! He thinks he can bribe me so I'll accept this?! He has another one coming if he thinks I'm that naïve!_ "MY DREAM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU! YOU'RE JUST A SQUATTER IN JII-CHAN'S GAME SHOP, LEECHING OFF OF HIM BECAUSE YOU THINK 'FATE' HAS TIED US TOGETHER! LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING I'M SURE OF NOW: I'LL _NEVER_ BE YOUR WIFE, SO GET OUT OF MY HEAD AND MY LIFE! I _HATE_ YOU!"

She stomped off towards the Kame Game Shop, his shock clear through their link. She shut herself off from him by yanking the Millennium Puzzle off her neck. She threw it on the floor of her room as she slammed the door, tears coming to her eyes. She felt an overwhelming sadness come to her and shrieked, "I'M NOT SAD BECAUSE OF THIS! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Yet she fell face first into her pillow and began crying.

* * *

Yugi came home with Atem in a rush once the former pharaoh had felt his connection with Mitsuko disappear. They went up to her room and stopped when they heard her sobbing. Atem placed a hand on the other boy's arm and requested, "I'd like to have some time alone with your sister."

"Are you sure? She's really mad at you."

"I'll make sure she's in better spirits by this evening."

"Just don't make her hate you more."

"I'm sure she didn't mean it."

"You don't know my sister like I do, Atem-san."

With that Yugi went to his room to work on his homework. Atem walked into the room to find Mitsuko was on her bed, weeping as if she'd had her heart broken. He shut the door behind him so no one would disturb them, then walked to where the Millennium Puzzle lay. He picked it up and brought it over as he sat next to her on the bed.

"Mitsuko-sama."

In response, she shoved him off the bed. "Go away!"

Instinctively he landed in a crouch and stood where he'd been shoved. "Mitsuko-sama, I won't. Not until you explain why you said you hate me."

"BECAUSE I DO! GET OUT BEFORE I MAKE YOU!" she screamed into her pillow.

"You will not scream at me merely out of upset, Mitsuko-sama," he stated in an annoyed voice. "We _will_ have a civil conversation whether you like it or not."

She shot out of bed, in his face and her finger stabbing his chest as he stared at her tear-streaked cheeks. "I. Said. GET OUT OR I'LL MAKE YOU! GET OUT, GET OUT, GETOUTGETOUTGETOUTGETOUT _GET OUT!_ I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR HIDEOUS FACE AGAIN TONIGHT OR I'LL BREAK YOUR NOSE!"

With that she slammed the door in his face.

Yugi opened his and muttered, "I told you."

"I don't understand. I kept calm and merely stated I wanted to talk."

"Atem-san, you _clearly_ don't get teenage girls."

"What do you mean?"

"I've had to live with Mi-ne all my life, so I have a close-up understanding of teenage girls, her in particular. If she's in one of her moods, she doesn't want to talk until she's cooled down. Next time you want to smooth things over, leave her alone until she comes to you, or if that doesn't happen, let me talk to her first. Being a twin has its advantages with upset siblings."

"She took off the Millennium Puzzle, how am I supposed to know when she's calmed down?"

"Like the rest of us do."

Yugi then went back into his room.

* * *

For the next week, Mitsuko refused to even _look_ at Atem, after holing herself up in her room the entire night. She rushed out of her room to go to school, Atem at her heels as soon as she'd emerged.

"Mitsuko-sama—"

"Yu-nii, are you coming? I'm not going to wait another minute!" she called upstairs, looking _through_ the pharaoh if that was possible. _Oh, is there a person standing on the stairs? I don't see anything._

Yugi ran down and grinned. "You know you wouldn't leave without me. It's Atem-san's first day of school, after all, so we have to be on time."

"I never thought this day would come, both of us going to school at a decent time. Jii-chan, we're going now!"

Sugoroku called as they rushed out the door, "See you after school, you three!"

Yugi moved back so Atem could walk next to her, hoping beyond all hope that she would be in a forgiving mood, which was in vain.

"Mitsuko-sama, what have I done that's angered you to such a degree that you no longer acknowledge my presence? It's been a whole week, this has to stop."

_It won't until you say sorry for trying to bribe me into marrying you, you jerk. _No one_ bribes Mutou Mitsuko into doing anything important like marriage. I'm only fifteen and such a prospect won't cross my mind until I'm a college graduate and have a well-paying job. I don't care what it takes, even if I have to work after school in secret and save up my allowance until I'm twenty._ "Yu-nii, did you hear something? It must've been the wind."

"Mi-ne, you're acting like a child," Yugi insisted, frowning. "You haven't done this since we were eight. Come on, be the bigger person and talk to Atem-san first. He doesn't even know what he's done to offend you!"

_If he must know, I'm not saying it to him directly._ "Well then, tell Atem-ou that he was being _extremely_ rude, trying to bribe me into marrying him by dangling my dream in front of me like a piece of hooked bait."

Yugi turned to Atem and asked, "When did you do that?"

The pharaoh crossed his arms. "It wasn't a bribe, it was motivation. She's being very stubborn with becoming my queen and I merely added I could help her with her dream if she just conceded."

"Well...Atem-san, she's right. Besides, she's too young."

"Young? Fifteen is quite old for a young woman to be unmarried."

Mitsuko snorted. "Tell the pharaoh that things have changed in three thousand years. I'm not even considered an adult until I'm twenty, or even legal until I'm sixteen."

Atem raised his eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean, 'legal'?"

Yugi scratched his head nervously. "She means if you were to..." He blushed darkly. "...do things together, before she's sixteen, it would be against the law."

" 'Do things together'? Your phraseology is very strange for something that embarrasses you this much. Tell me frankly what you mean, Yugi."

Yugi gave his twin puppy eyes. "Mi-ne, would you _please_ explain? It's so _embarrassing_!"

Mitsuko growled and crossed her arms furiously as she kept walking. _So the pharaoh thinks he's being funny by being naïve? Well, let him chew on this._ "Tell Atem-ou that what we call 'doing things together' is his equivalent of 'lying together'."

Atem chuckled. "You're telling me you don't even marry until you're much older? Siamun told me my wife would be thirteen years of age, to get as many chances to have an heir possible, since it had been foretold I'd have a short reign."

A full-body shudder went through the twin teens in unison, Mitsuko clapping her hands her ears. "EWWWWWWW! GROSS! GROSSGROSSGROSSGROSS GROSSGROSSGROSSGROSS _GROSS! _WHAT KIND OF MARRIAGE IS THAT?! YOU, FIFTEEN, WHILE SHE WAS THIRTEEN?! OH, MY EARS!"

She hopped up and down, as if trying to shake the memory out through her ears. _That was something I _never_ wanted to picture in my brain! A thirteen-year-old having...doing...with _him_! I can't even imagine it when I'm twenty and he's the same age! I'm gonna puke from the vivid images that sends! WHERE'S MY BRAIN BLEACH?!_

"What's so revolting about such things? It is how things were back then. A girl would marry as soon as she was able to have children. Also, I was nineteen when I ascended the throne. I'm not as young as I appear now."

"_NINETEEN?!"_ the twins exclaimed.

_I think...nope, I'm running the rest of the way to school so I can blow chunks in peace._

"Mi-ne! Mi-ne, slow down!"

* * *

Anzu checked on her as she rinsed her mouth out. "What upset your stomach? Did you eat something bad?"

Mitsuko shook her head, dabbing at her forehead then mouth. "No, Yami-san said something gross. You know, boys."

The older girl pulled a disgusted face. "Yeah. You think you need to go to the nurse?"

"No, class is about to start."

"Okay."

They walked to class and sat in their seats as the teacher came in. "Close call, Mazaki and Mutou. Now class, we have a new transfer student that you all last saw escorting Mutou here last week. Please come in."

Atem walked in and stood in front of the class, his confident stance making all the girls giggle in delight. He crossed his arms as the teacher wrote his name in kanji on the board, and everyone stared at how strange it looked.

"Damiri Atem. He's staying with the Mutou twins and their grandfather as an exchange student. Now, please sit in the open seat behind Mutou Mitsuko."

Anzu hissed to the twins, "You said his name was Yami!"

"Until we could understand him properly, that's what we called him," Yugi explained.

Atem sat behind Mitsuko and murmured in her ear, "You have my deepest apologies for my actions. I clearly treated you too lightly."

She relaxed and muttered back, "I forgive you." _This time._

* * *

So, how was that? I thought them having a fight would be rather natural, since everyone does so every once in a while.

Please review!


	4. Chapter 4: Party Animal

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Nor do I own Utada Hikaru, Boa, Yui, AC/DC, Metallica or Linkin Park!

Now for something different for Mitsuko and our favorite pharaoh!

Note: FYI, none of the band names in this chapter are real bands, they were just something I came up with a bad band name generator!

I hope everyone enjoys this!

* * *

**Chapter 4: Party Animal**

Yugi, Mitsuko and Atem ran onto the bus, panting as they squirmed through the crowd, looking for a seat.

"If we hadn't caught this bus, we'd be late for our field trip!" Yugi breathed in relief.

"Why is this 'field trip' so important?" Atem asked.

"Why else? It's for more learning opportunities. I hope we're going to the planetarium," Mitsuko answered, before squealing. "Oh the planetarium! Such a wonderful place!"

Yugi sighed. "I know you like going there Mi-ne, but what're the odds?"

"You're so mean to me, Yu-nii."

They found the back of the bus was a huge gap, before a pounding beat hit their ears. They looked over and the twins flinched.

/What's the matter?\\ Atem asked mentally when he felt Mitsuko's anxiety.

/Sozoji, the school's karaoke master. According to rumors and firsthand tales, he's enough to drive anyone to illness with his screams. Once a month he holds an all-night karaoke session and the casualties keep piling up.\

/You mean he kills people?!\\

/Weren't you listening? He—\

"Hey Mutou!"

Mitsuko and Yugi both pointed to themselves, eyes wide in horror. He looked directly at Mitsuko and beckoned. She grimaced, but came over to him.

/Is he going to harm you?\\

/No, unless he wants to have an angry pharaoh Shadow Game his butt.\

"Mutou, you know it's time again for my All Night Solo Live Show, I want you to sell tickets for it."

Mitsuko stared at the ten tickets that she had to sell and saw the rather hefty price tag. _Two thousand yen? What teenager has that kind of money on them that they would want to waste on a show that's guaranteed to be horrifying? I'd better bring earplugs with me._

* * *

No one wanted the tickets, so Mitsuko went to the studio, heaving a sigh when she plunked herself down on one of the couches, resigning herself to torture. _Once he starts singing, I'll just have to go to my happy place and wait it out._

"Mutou! What're you doing here so early? Did you give up on selling any?"

Sozoji marched over to her and saw the tickets in her pocket. "Well, you know what your punishment is!"

What she didn't expect for him to put headphones over her ears and turn the volume up to maximum. _These earplugs might not be enough! I hope I don't lose my hearing over this!_

He began to scream into his microphone, which made her flinch, but it was muffled enough that it was bearable. She squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth, telling herself, _Go to your happy place, go to your happy place... _She then paused. _I know these lyrics! _Without knowing it, she'd started bobbing her head and mouthing the words in perfect sync to him.

All of a sudden, he yanked off the headphones and grabbed her by the front of her uniform jacket. "Who said you could sing along, Mutou?! This is your _punishment_, not some girls' night out at the karaoke!"

She grinned and exclaimed, "Anyone who knows Funky Dust Monkeys has got to have a decent taste in music, Sozoji-san!"

"What'd you say?!"

"You want me to praise the music _again_?"

He shook her and demanded, "Some nerdy girl like you wouldn't know good music if it hit you over the head!"

"Tell me some of your favorites, I won't laugh."

"The Utensils."

"Ooooh! I _love_ that group!"

He gritted his teeth. "Lesbian Clown Cartel."

"Yeah! 'Love Girls Dead' is my personal favorite!"

"You name one, then."

"The Economy Class Terrorists?"

"Now you're just being cheeky, Mutou!"

_I hit the nail on the head._ "What about Angsty Waitpersons? Or Full Size Origami Dudes?"

"How could you like all the bands I do?! Either you have telepathy or you've been spying on my shows!"

"Nah, I'm just your average student who likes bands everyone else hates. I've spent hours perfecting my screaming so it doesn't hurt my voice. Want me to demonstrate, without the volume up to max?"

"You're the freakiest girl I've ever met."

She winked. "To the bone, just to be different."

With that she turned the volume dial down to a more acceptable level and picked a song.

* * *

For the rest of the night, they sang, screamed, banged heads and just had all-around good time, once she took over the mike. He watched her like she was a pro, having removed his sunglasses to goggle at her.

"Are you really Mutou Mitsuko? You're nothing like that wussy geek from this afternoon!"

Her hair, which was down and wild, her glasses around her neck by a chain, her jacket open and skirt around her hips. She blew a kiss and winked. "This is a me that no one has seen before, but if you want, I could help you get better so no one will say no to your concerts again." _Then you'd quit threatening kids like Yu-nii._

He grinned and bowed to her. "If you come to these concerts yourself to perform, it's a deal."

"Sure, why not? This is the most fun I've had in ages."

She giggled and tossed her head, hair flying about her face and shoulders. "Wanna go another round?"

He snorted and looked at the clock. "Perhaps next time. Even karaoke masters like me have to go to school."

_I like this guy better and better. Best friends through music, who knew?_

* * *

She came home with an ecstatic grin on her face, at the crack of dawn. She was still humming "Love Girls Dead" as she came in, going to her room in a pleasant daze. She giggled as she straightened her clothes and put her contacts in, smoothing her hair yet keeping it in its wild hairstyle. As she buttoned her jacket and tied the ribbon around her collar, her alarm went off.

For once she took her time getting herself ready in the bathroom, putting on some makeup she'd gotten for her birthday by Anzu and when she came out, she was humming again. She came down the stairs and Sugoroku stared at her as if the world was about to end.

"Mi? Is that you?"

She smiled cheerily and nodded. "Yep, it's me, Jii-chan."

"You've never come down early for breakfast, and your hair and makeup! You look so different!"

"Well, I decided it was time for a change."

She sat down at the table and ate her food, the sedate pace making her feel much better than wolfing it down and rushing out the door. She took her lunch and waved to him. "I'll see you after school, Jii-chan!"

"You're not going to walk with Yugi and Atem-san?"

"Not today, not when I can have a calm walk for once."

"All right, I'll see you later."

She walked to school and sighed at the beautiful day. _It's a perfect time to sing, but I guess I'll just keep it to myself, since most girls my age are singing the more popular songs. I like being different for a change!_

She got into her seat and started to doodle a maze in her notebook, humming the same song yet again.

"What's that weird tune you're humming, Mitsuko-chan?" Jonouchi asked as he and Honda came in with Anzu on their heels.

"Yeah, I never thought I'd hear such a rough song from a girl's mouth," Honda added as he pinched his eyebrows together in concentration.

"Oh, it's nothing special," she answered in a flighty voice, her eyes on the finished maze as she tried to solve it without touching her pencil to the paper.

"You're sure in a good mood today," Anzu observed as she sat next to her childhood friend. "What happened?"

Mitsuko pursed her lips as she got stuck in a particular section. "I got to sing _karaoke_."

"Karaoke? I didn't know you liked to sing," the blonde teen questioned as he sat in the chair of the desk in front of hers backwards, Honda leaning against her desk as they stared at her.

"You learn something new all the time with your friends," she replied, a smile on her face as she got free of the trap. "I like music a lot, especially—"

Anzu pounced immediately. "Oh, oh, oh, do you like Utada Hikaru? Boa? Yui? I want to hear you sing some of _their_ songs when we go out for karaoke! I'm sure your voice is _perfect_!"

Mitsuko raised an eyebrow as she raised her head to stare at her female friend. "Are you serious? If you'd been listening, I don't sing the popular songs for teenage girls. I don't like those genres of music. I like heavy metal, hard rock, truly _bad_ music. The light, bubbly, _overemotional_ fluff that's those idols you've mentioned, _no_ _thanks_."

"Really? What kind of singers do you like?"

"Not singers, groups."

"Like what?"

She was about to name off a few when Yugi and Atem raced in, both coming over to her.

"So Jii-chan was right! You look _completely _different today!"

"What's so bad about that?" she asked, before getting checked over by Atem. "Come on, do I _look_ hurt?"

"I want to make sure Sozoji didn't lay a hand on you."

"Sozoji?!" the other three exclaimed.

"Yeah," Yugi confirmed. "He made her try to sell tickets for his karaoke session and when she didn't..." He turned to his sister. "Did the all-night session knock your brains loose? Maybe we should see a doctor."

"Yu-nii...Atem-ou... WOULD YOU FRICKIN' GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME?!"

They jumped back and she tossed her hair. "Sheesh, you two are sure overprotective. I'm _fine_. It just so happens that karaoke is a hobby of mine, and I taught Sozoji-san a few tips to sing better so that he doesn't make people physically ill anymore. I have all the singles of the songs he sang, and we share the same interests in groups and genres. We even talked of some of the American groups like AC/DC, Metallica, Linkin Park... I could sing those all day..."

She began humming again and drummed her fingers on the desk as she continued her way through the maze she'd drawn. _You'd think they'd heard that I was dying. So what if I revealed I'm a lover of a different type of music? I'm not the cookie cutter teenager in the first place. Geez, it's making me annoyed that they _keep_ staring at me, like I've grown an extra arm or two. Yu-nii did say that I'd look better if I let myself relax and work on my looks._ "I haven't cracked, this is something I've liked for years, I just haven't told anybody."

She peeked at them and knew they wouldn't believe her just by word alone.

* * *

Mitsuko was positively sour by the time school ended, the eyes on her via her friends yet still the reason. _Would they just QUIT IT?! This is _really_ making me mad! They're acting like I've been possessed the whole day!_

"Mi-ne, can we talk?"

She stopped in her tracks and whirled around. "_What?_"

He hesitated and then looked to Atem, who nodded. Her eyes zeroed in on the gesture and she stormed up to the Egyptian. "If you want to talk to me, don't use my brother as a mouthpiece! You can talk to me and just _maybe_ I'll listen! You two are on the same page right now anyways!"

Atem sighed and put his hands behind him. "Mitsuko-sama, you know that whenever you're angry you don't want to be reasoned with and also what I want to speak to you about."

She put her hands on her hips. "I just let my hair down and put in my contacts! What's so bad about that? It's not like I'm the queen bee of the school now and completely ignore my _real_ friends! I haven't snapped either! I just didn't want anyone to know that I'm a heavy metal fan and most of the groups here have weird names! Most people would laugh at me if I told them I like the group 'Angsty Waitpersons'! Yu-nii even told me to change my hair and put in my contacts so I wouldn't look like such a nerd! What's wrong with changing like I have?" She got in his face. "Well?!"

He got a good look at her and noticed that as she was now, she was _very _attractive, her eyes no longer blocked by her glasses, her gold bangs framing her face. Yet he had an inkling that her question wasn't simple to answer. "Perhaps...you are changing for the wrong reason, at the wrong time. It's such a jarring contrast might need to be done more...subtly for a while until everyone is used to it."

She scowled. _He's right, even though I don't like it. I guess it was fun while it lasted._ "Fine, you win, but don't think this look's gone forever."

* * *

The next day, she wore her old look again, everyone treating her normally again. She glowered as she looked out the window and thought, _You guys have such a low opinion of me. Just you wait, I'll be awesome and become an astronomer without _anyone's_ help. I'll work afternoon jobs and be at the top of the class for the rest of high school, just so I can get a scholarship for the college I want. No one's gonna help me, no matter what Yu-nii says about asking Jii-chan._

* * *

Who liked this side of Mitsuko? *looks around for any hands*

I mean, how many Japanese girls actually listen to heavy metal? I know that that's a stereotype, but Mitsuko is one of those who doesn't go the popular route.

*stares out onto the site* I know you're out there, I can hear your lips moving.

Please review!


	5. Chapter 5: The Job From Hell

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! isn't mine, nor will it ever be mine! *cries*

I think everyone knows what's gonna happen in this chapter, since Mitsuko wants to go independent on getting money for college! I wonder if everything will go smoothly like the manga chapters I based it on...?

* * *

**Chapter 5: The Job From Hell**

Mitsuko let her hair down and tied it in a ponytail in the girls' bathroom, before she walked to her afternoon job, at a diner named Burger World. She worked harder than anyone else, just to put the tips she got into the Millennium Puzzle box. She even took extra shifts when she could, even to closing time.

She was pulling her second shift when Anzu came in, both staring at each other in shock.

"Mitsu? What're you doing here?"

_Oh no! What's _she_ doing here?! If she brought any of the others, I'm sunk! Act natural, Mitsuko!_ She smiled and waved the girl in. "Welcome to Burger World! What can I get you?"

Now it was Anzu's turn to squirm. She then murmured, "I, uh, wanted to apply..."

"Mutou! Get moving! You're not paid to stare at the customers!"

"Yes Boss!" she chirped and waved to Anzu. "She wants to apply for a job!"

"Is that so? I always need more workers, so fill in your information right here and I'll take a look once you hand it in. Good work Mutou, you're getting a raise for recruiting."

"Yes Boss!"

"Now get going, you're blocking the door!"

She went to the cash register and began her shift there.

* * *

A few days passed in peace, but then the two girls' absence was noticed by the boys of their group. Yugi and Honda were swamped with homework, so Jonouchi and Atem (the former skipping out on it while the latter had actually finished almost as quickly as Mitsuko) followed Anzu, since Mitsuko had given them the slip.

"What if by the off chance they're not going to the same place?" Atem questioned his taller blonde friend.

"Aw come on, they've got to be, they leave at around the same time: right after school," Jonouchi assured the former pharaoh. "She's going in a building, let's follow her in!"

"Isn't this—"

They entered and a waitress greeted, "Welcome to Burger World! What can I get you?"

The pair was befuddled. They followed the girl to the table and ordered, the girl going to the counter.

"Two combos for table five!"

A familiar voice rang out from the back, "I gotcha!"

Atem reached out subtly and realized it _was_ Mitsuko. He frowned and asked Jonouchi, "What would possess Mitsuko-sama and Mazaki-san to work at a diner when it's against school rules to work an after-school job?"

Jonouchi stopped before he could speak when Mitsuko came over and put the tray down. "Sorry to keep you waiting! Here's your food and just let me know if there's anything else you would like!"

Atem opened his mouth to ask her, but she looked up when a voice called, "Ko-chan! I'd like another combo!"

She smiled and turned away from them, going to the counter and calling, "Sozoji-kun would like another combo, Anzu!"

"Another? That guy must have a crush on you to be spending all this money!" Anzu teased from the back.

Mitsuko giggled buoyantly and took the food when it was ready. She walked over to the table at the end corner and Jonouchi and Atem stared at the sight of Sozoji, wearing his street clothes and his sunglasses off when Mitsuko came over. She placed the tray on his table and took the empty one he had, placing a paper in his hand. He opened it and his eyes lit up.

"Thanks, Ko-chan! This advice is gold!"

"Would you like me to bag this up so you can get going on your music, Zo-kun?"

His face flushed and he grinned. "Sure! I need to write this down right away!"

He scurried off after leaving a huge tip.

"How much did he leave this time?" Anzu asked.

"Fifty thousand yen."

"You're so lucky! I wish someone would give _me_ a tip that large!"

It was then the two girls speared the two boys with glares so sharp daggers would be less painful.

"What should we do to them? Glue their mouths shut?" Anzu whispered to Mitsuko.

"We could always threaten to lock them in a room with my favorites blaring from the speakers."

"We both know Jonouchi's a rumor spreader of the worst kind, we can't let them leave or else we'll get found out for sure!"

The door chimed and Mitsuko hissed, "We'll deal with this later, there's a customer."

She walked over and only got a flash of orange and "777" before she was grabbed and the click of a gun made her freeze.

"Okay, everyone on the floor or the girl's dead!"

In desperation, she called out mentally, /Atem-ou, help me!\

Atem, who was on the floor next to Jonouchi, snapped his eyes on her. /You wish for my help now, when you've ignored me or treated me with hostility for so long?\\

/Oh no,\ she growled. /You are _not_ being that guy today. This job is very important to me, and MY LIFE IS BEING THREATENED!\

/Promise me you'll treat me civilly and I'll help you.\\

She gritted her teeth, but sighed inwardly. /Fine, but if you don't hurry, Jii-chan'll have your hide for getting his favorite granddaughter killed.\

/You're his _only_ granddaughter.\\

"You! The bitty kid with the funny eyes!"

/He means you.\

"Get me some booze and cigarettes! Lucky Stripe!"

The criminal sat down in a booth, blindfolding Mitsuko with the ribbon she had tied around her ponytail. She bit her lip and knew Atem would be playing a Shadow Game for her life.

"Hey! Who said you could sit down?!"

"Why don't I keep you company?" Atem asked in a playful voice. "If you've got the guts, how about we play a game?"

"Hmmm, a game, I need to have a little fun."

"However, the loser of this game loses his life!"

/You're nuts,\ Mitsuko deadpanned. /But then again, higher stakes means higher rewards. Gambling with your life will only pay off a certain number of times, so be careful.\

/I've never lost when the stakes are this high, Mitsuko-sama. You have no need to worry yourself.\\

"Interesting..." The sound of a liquid reached her ears. "What are the rules?"

"I shall explain them!"

"I'm listening! Heh heh..."

"You and I must stay on opposite sides of the table, and can interact, but with one restriction: We each choose one of our ten fingers and the finger you choose is the only one you can move! Which finger you may use is entirely up to you. So, which will you choose?"

The criminal laughed. "I choose my right index finger, of course! All I need to kill you is this finger on the trigger!"

"Then I choose my right thumb!"

_What is he planning? This is a game with his life at stake! What could he possibly do with his thumb? I don't get it! I can't see, so I can't tell what he's going to do!_

"What will you do when the game begins?"

"I'll pull the trigger!"

"Game start!"

"HA HA HA HA HA! GAME OVER!"

/WHATEVER YOU HAVE PLANNED, YOU'D BETTER DO IT NOW!\

Click.

/What—is that a lighter I hear? Where did you get that?!\

"I've wanted a smoke for a while. Your last action before dying will be to light my cigarette!"

/That better not be Jii-chan's special lighter! He's been looking for that!\

/Be calm, it isn't, it's just the lighter he ordered to be brought with his cigarettes. Now, listen and know I've won this game.\\

"Here's the lighter! Take it with you to the next world!"

"Huh...?!"

The sound of the liquor spilling over onto the table then seat, plus the tension and fear in the air had Mitsuko tensing as well. /Are you sure the game is won? What if he pulls the trigger?!\

/I placed the lighter on the top of his hand where's he's holding the bottle.\\

"Don't pull the trigger! The recoil will definitely make the lighter fall! Plus, that's Russian Vodka, one-eighty proof!"

_Wow, he really thought this game out. How could such a strategist from Ancient Egypt exist?!_

He took her hand and pulled her away from the table at a fast walk, her stumbling to keep up.

"Oh no...oh no... But I'm lucky..."

His anguished scream as he burst into flames made Mitsuko jump as Atem untied her ribbon. Her shivering was stopped as he squeezed her hand.

"You're safe, Mitsuko-sama."

"Atem-ou..."

He smiled, just as Jonouchi and Anzu came running.

"Wow, Yami-san! You're AWESOME!" Jonouchi shouted, hugging him from behind.

"Thanks, Jonouchi-san."

"We're glad Yugi and Honda aren't here!" Anzu worried as she looked Mitsuko up and down. "You're okay, right?"

Mitsuko rubbed her arms, which had drops of alcohol on them. "That was scary...I thought we both were going to die..." _I'll _never_ be mean to Atem-ou again, if he can save my life with a little game! I'll _never, ever, EVER _take games lightly again! Anything could become a death match!_

Anzu hugged her and stroked her hair. "Don't you worry, Mitsu. We'll take you back home and you can get some sleep, okay?"

Just then, sirens blared as cop cars squealed into the parking lot. Police officers barged in, holding guns at the ready. Mitsuko whimpered and held onto her friend tighter, Jonouchi patting her back. Atem still held her hand, whispering words of comfort to her terrified soul.

"Young lady, are you alright?" an officer asked Mitsuko, as some others inspected the charred corpse of the criminal. He saw her eyes on his gun and put it back in its holster, which made her relax a little. "It's safe now, you don't have to be afraid."

"That freaky guy was holding her hostage and threatened to kill Yami-san! If he hadn't outwitted that guy, both of them would've been dead!" Jonouchi revealed, furious the police hadn't come earlier. "If we'd waited until you guys came, he could've shot all of us!"

Atem sighed. "Not really, he only had six bullets in the gun, including the one in the chamber. I knew what I was doing."

"What happened, young man?"

"Not in front of my cousin, please. She's already in a state of mental breakdown. I don't need her reliving it any more than she has to."

"We have an ambulance outside, we can take her to the hospital to help her calm down."

The three friends looked at each other, before nodding. Mitsuko clung to Anzu the whole way to the ambulance, and curled up in a tight ball as Atem was helped up into the vehicle, reclaiming her hand. She squeezed so hard he stroked the back of her hand with his free one, trying to calm her inside her soul room.

/Mitsuko-sama, please, don't do this to yourself. No one will hurt you under my watch.\\

/I...ca...n...t...\

At that time, her soul room door closed.

/MITSUKO!\\

Her body went limp, the paramedics panicking as they turned her onto her back. One checked her pulse and shook his head.

"Young man, let go of her! Her heart's stopped completely! Breathing following, brain activity at a standstill! I'll have to try and restart her heart before she goes brain dead! Clear!"

The shock paddles made Mitsuko arch off the gurney and slam back down. Atem grimaced, but the machine which monitored her heart beeped once before beginning to beep at a steady rhythm. The paramedics sighed and attached her to a mask to help her breathe. Atem reached out for her hand and then called out mentally, /Mitsuko-sama? Are you there?\\

No answer.

He lowered his head as he tried to keep his composure. This couldn't have happened... Why had she closed her soul room to him when all he wanted to do was make her feel safe?

* * *

Sugoroku went nuts when he came to the hospital, his eyes full of fear as he clutched his granddaughter's hand. "Mi! My precious granddaughter! How did this happen?!" he demanded of the doctor as soon as he stopped panicking over her prone form.

"She went into shock after receiving quite the scare this afternoon, Mutou-san, and it stopped her heart. After her heart was restarted, she fell into a coma from the experience. Her vitals are steady, but she won't wake up. It's a very real possibility you will never see her wake up again."

Yugi buried his face in his twin's chest. "Mi-ne! Come back! Please!"

"Yugi, we have to talk to Atem-san about this, come on."

"But Jii-chan—"

Sugoroku pulled his grandson from the room and the boy rubbed his eyes with his sleeve. Atem sat contemplatively in the corner of the waiting room, the Millennium Puzzle around his neck. Anzu was softly sobbing while Jonouchi and Honda were trying to contain their sorrow and anger while making futile attempts to comfort her.

"Atem-san, what happened to Mi?"

All faces turned to the pharaoh. He had a glazed-over look that the others had seen Mitsuko take on sometimes, before he looked up with empty eyes. He seemed a whole other person, once Mitsuko had gone into a coma. He'd always been quiet, but he no longer spoke unless spoken to, and that empty look was all he wore.

"Mitsuko-sama has...closed the door to her soul room."

"Huh? What's that mean?" Anzu asked, wiping her tears.

Sugoroku frowned and murmured, "So her coma isn't natural. Have you been calling and knocking since?"

"Yes," the fifteen-year-old monarch affirmed, "but she won't answer my calls. It's worse than when she was mad at me and wouldn't let me in her room."

Yugi fell into the chair next to him and heaved a tortured sigh. "Can't you open the door?"

"No, she's locked it from the inside. Only the Millennium Key can open soul rooms that have been closed without the occupant's permission."

"Millennium Key? Something like your Puzzle?" Honda queried, desperate to get _any_ answers for their friend.

"Yes. It's current wielder is unknown, and tracking down other Millennium Items is the power of the Millennium Ring, which wielder is also unknown. So many unknowns...the only thing we can do is hope she comes out by herself, or, on the off chance that it's been found and someone is using it, wait for the current wielder of the Millennium Key to appear and convince them to open Mitsuko-sama's door."

Everyone was silent after that.

* * *

Before anyone knew it, summer had passed and fall was approaching, yet Mitsuko hadn't woken from her coma. Everyone who knew her had tried to help her wake, but to no avail. She still slept, her face peaceful as the others had to live their lives and Atem protected the Millennium Puzzle with his life, for her soul resided within and that was too precious to lose, even on a Shadow Game, which he had to play several during this time.

He was reading the hieroglyphs on a fragment of wall on display in the museum when he sensed a person next to him. He looked up, and blinked when he saw another Egyptian next to him. He instantly recognized the man and blurted in his mother tongue, "**Shada! Is that you?!**"

The man's head snapped in his direction and the next second he was on one knee, his head bowed. "**My pharaoh! You've returned to the land of the living after three thousand years!**" he exclaimed, almost crying in joy. "**The prophesied day has come at last! Have you taken the girl who solved the Millennium Puzzle as your bride?**"

"**I'm much younger than I was when my soul was sealed into the Millennium Puzzle, the same age as the girl who solved the Puzzle. I wanted to speak with you about that.**"

"**Anything, my pharaoh.**"

"**A traumatic event happened to my chosen bride, which caused her soul room door to close.**"

Shada's eyes widened in shock. "**This is most alarming, my pharaoh. Do you desire that I open her soul room for you?**"

"**Yes, I do. Follow me, I'll take you to where she is.**"

During the walk there, Shada asked, "**Why are you wearing those clothes? Do you go to the school around here?**"

Atem nodded. "**It's required, since I am not of the age of adulthood.**"

"**Japanese fashions have changed much over the years. I haven't seen one kimono our entire walk.**"

"**A what? What's a kimono?**"

"**Perhaps it **_**has**_** become more westernized than I thought.**"

"**I have no idea what you're talking about.**"

Shada shook his head. "**It doesn't matter, my pharaoh. Is it true that your chosen bride is a female reincarnation of yourself?**"

Atem smiled warmly. "**Yes, it is true. I was rather shocked myself when she brought me from the depths of the Millennium Puzzle to my sleeping body. Not only is she my reincarnation, she has a twin brother.**"

"**A twin brother? Did he try solving the Millennium Puzzle?**"

"**He told me he had, but had always gotten stuck in the middle. They took turns until she solved it when she and her brother needed help after finding my body in a sarcophagus.**"

"**It was destiny she was the one to complete it, as it will be that you will marry her and continue on your line.**"

"**Sometimes I wonder.**"

"**Is something wrong with your relationship, my pharaoh?**"

"**She fights her destiny to be with me. She's headstrong and has her dreams for the future, and marrying me isn't something she wishes for until her dream is realized. I've tried softening her up by offering to help with her dream if she marries me, but she claimed I was 'blackmailing' her and became furious, refusing to speak to me for a whole week.**"

Shada frowned. "**Women have become independent in the last hundred years. Not as submissive and willing to please. Does she feel attraction towards you?**"

"**I know she does, but she suppresses it because it makes her twin uncomfortable when he sees her lost in thought about my 'dashingly good looks' as he puts it.**"

"**Perhaps her twin brother should be encouraged to step back and not get between you two when she's feeling something towards you. Have you had trouble since you awakened?**"

"**Yes, and she's the one who's in trouble. She says she's a trouble magnet.**"

"**Is she of small stature, like yourself at this time?**"

"**Yes, she's about my size.**"

"**A tiny young woman, then. That always draws trouble from those who believe they're stronger than a smaller individual.**"

"**In this day and age they call it 'bullying', Shada.**"

"**During the time of her coma, have you had troubles still?**"

"**Yes, but they seem to be towards her brother and their group of friends.**"

"**How many friends does this girl have?**"

"**She always was friends with a girl named Anzu, but a couple boys who used to bully her and her brother turned over a new leaf and have joined the group as well. I consider myself part of it and they allowed it, although they're still trying to find out who I am, since sometimes I'm not subtle with my Shadow Powers.**"

"**You haven't gotten in trouble with the current authorities?**"

"**They wouldn't believe I used magic to punish those wrongdoers. There's never enough evidence and usually the police aren't informed.**"

Shada looked up and his eyes widened. "**My pharaoh! It's High Priest Set!**"

Atem's eyes followed the path of his former priest's and he nodded once he saw the eye-catching billboard. "**Oh, you mean Kaiba. I had a run-in with him the beginning of the summer because he tried stealing Siamun's Blue-Eyes White Dragon. He owns a large gaming company called 'Kaiba Corporation' so he believes he's king of Japan, although he holds no such status.**"

"**I see. He sounds very different from his former incarnation.**"

"**Yes. If I've been awakened from my eternal slumber, do you think Set has awoken from his as well, since he was pharaoh after me?**"

"**I do not know, since I've only been in this city for a short time before we crossed paths.**"

"**I might have to be wary, for Kaiba may have the Millennium Rod in his possession and come across my cousin's sarcophagus.**"

"**Only time will tell, my pharaoh. Are we at this 'hospital' you've spoken of?**"

"**Yes, we are. Once we're inside, we'll have to speak Japanese so everyone else can understand us.**"

"**I understand, my pharaoh.**"

They bypassed the woman at the desk and as they walked down a hallway, Sozoji brushed by them, holding a huge bouquet of flowers. He entered Mitsuko's room and cried, "Is she awake yet?"

Sugoroku's voice, patiently exasperated, answered from within, "No, not yet. I still don't know how you and my granddaughter became friends, when Yugi's nervous around you."

"She inspired me to become a better artist! I'm no longer a man of karaoke! I've moved on and become a musician! I want her to wake up and listen to my music I made just for her!"

"You're too old for my granddaughter Sozoji, it would never work."

A strangled sound escaped the man's throat. "Bu-but she's the Goddess of Heavy Metal! I need her to help continue my work!"

Atem sighed and Shada asked, "Is something the matter, my pharaoh?"

"Every other day Sozoji-san visits, claiming he's making a band and she's one of the vocalists. She's just beginning her years in high school, while he graduated just after she went into a coma. I think he wants to date her, since he's had a crush on her for months."

He led his former priest into the room and Sozoji looked up, Sugoroku smiling at Atem's appearance.

"Oh, it's you, and who's the weirdo in the turban?"

Atem ignored him and walked over to Mitsuko's bedside. He placed the Millennium Puzzle around her neck once more and closed his eyes, traveling to the corridor between their soul rooms. Shada used his Millennium Key to follow him inside.

"I see, your souls are bonded together, thus this place has been created. I assume the closed door you face leads to her soul room?"

"Yes."

"She doesn't answer your calls?"

"No."

"Very well. I'll open the door by force."

He raised the Millennium Key and turned it in midair, Mitsuko's door opening. What surprised Atem was when Mitsuko came running out, grabbing him in a fierce hug.

"**What took you so long?! I've been stuck in here forever!**"

Shada raised his eyebrows in confusion as Atem held her back, as confused as he was, he wasn't going to refuse a hug from her. "**I...I called and knocked every waking hour on your door... Why didn't you answer, saying you were stuck?**"

She scowled and yelled, "**You were speaking gibberish! How was I supposed to know how to answer to that?**"

"**Mitsuko, you're speaking in Ancient Egyptian.**"

"**I know that! You think I'm a moron?! I can't understand Japanese anymore, for some weird reason!**"

Shada spoke up for the first time. "**Perhaps the shock you received has blocked your ability to understand or speak your mother tongue. This will be troubling when you awaken.**"

"**I've been asleep?! Why didn't you say so?! I'm waking up right now!**"

* * *

Mitsuko's eyes snapped open and she gasped, finding herself in a hospital room, her body feeling much weaker than when she'd been aware of it.

"Mi! You're finally awake!" her grandpa cried as he took her hand, his eyes full of joy.

She blinked and had to process that he was glad she was awake, but the words were as foreign to her as Ancient Egyptian had been when Atem had first awakened. She felt someone holding her other hand and looked over to see Atem, with the other guy who'd been with him over his shoulder. She smiled and greeted, "**Thanks for dragging me out of there, Atem. And you too, whoever you are.**"

The other Egyptian bowed to her. "**It was my pleasure, my queen.**"

She rolled her eyes. _I guess since Atem trusted him enough to get me out of my locked soul room, he has to be one of those priests he's told me about from three thousand years ago._ "**Who are you anyways? We haven't been introduced.**"

"**In the ancient past, I was called High Priest Shada, but now I am called Shadi.**"

She quirked her eyebrows and then snorted. "**A little change in name, it's no big deal. Thanks again.**"

Her grandpa, who was shocked still by her speaking fluent Ancient Egyptian, cleared his throat and addressed the three of them. "**Excuse me, what's going on here? Who is this man you've brought here, how did you wake Mi from her coma, and why is she speaking fluent Ancient Egyptian?**"

Atem smiled and gestured to Shadi. "**This is Shadi, the wielder of the Millennium Key and Scales. He was the one who brought Mitsuko out of her locked soul room with the Millennium Key's powers. And lastly, Mitsuko's speaking Ancient Egyptian possibly from the shock she had before her soul room shut on her. She can't speak, read or understand Japanese anymore.**"

"**Thank you very much for bringing my granddaughter back Shadi,**" Sugoroku replied warmly with a smile on his face, before he began to panic. "**This is terrible! What will she do about school once she's back on her feet?! Mi! What're you going to do?! No one will understand why you can't speak Japanese anymore!**"

Mitsuko winced a little as she sat up, feeling Atem's magic working on her so she could recover quickly, maybe even within the day. "**I'll go to school, and Atem can help me with my classes, since I helped him when he was learning Japanese.**" She turned to Atem again and asked, "**You **_**will**_** help me, right?**"

Atem nodded. "**Anything to get you back to normal again.**"

"**I appreciate that.**"

"**How are you sitting up already? Your muscles should be atrophied from lying still for so long!**" Sugoroku asked, confused by how mobile she was.

Atem explained, "**I've been helping her stay healthy with my magic. It was what I could do at the time while going to school and spending time with the others.**"

"**Thank you for that, I know Mi doesn't like being in hospitals for long stays.**"

_Don't I know it. I probably smell like I haven't showered in years. Ew._ Mitsuko fingered her greasy hair and pleaded, "**Can you call someone in here so I can take a shower and get these stupid tubes out of my arms. It's making me feel queasy just thinking about it.**"

"**I'm sure they have an alarm telling when your vitals began to rise to normal.**"

And, just like Sugoroku said, the doctor and a nurse came in, startled that she was sitting up and was wholly comprehensive.

"Mutou-san! You shouldn't be sitting up like that! You just woke from a coma!"

Sugoroku shook his head. "She's just fine, as you can see. She's not in any pain and has been chatting with us for the last few minutes."

In frenzied but practiced movements, both doctor and nurse checked her for any problems she could've gotten from her time in a coma, finding none as they finished.

"You're right, she's just fine!"

"It's a miracle!"

Sugoroku smiled. "Is she fine to go home, then?"

"Of course, let the nurse get a wheelchair and you can sign her out as you leave."

"Thank you, doctor."

Shadi bowed and stated, "**Thank you for allowing me to meet you two, my queen and her grandfather. I'll take my leave.**"

Mitsuko scratched her head and then began fiddling with the Millennium Puzzle. "**Could anyone tell me what's been going on since I was last awake?**"

Atem shook his head and sighed. "**Oh the stories I'll tell you, Mitsuko. Quite a bit's happened, and I'll be talking for a good while.**"

* * *

Yugi came home to seeing Sugoroku smiling like his birthday came early. "I'm home, Jii-chan. What's got you so happy?"

The old man was skipping around, humming one of his favorite songs as he dusted the shelves. "Welcome home, Yugi! It's wonderful! Mi woke this morning and now she's back home!"

The spiky-haired boy lit up like a sunrise and cried, "Mi-ne's better?! YAY!"

"She's in the living room with Atem, who's stuck to her like a burr to a horse's tail since she's come home."

Yugi began to run up the stairs, but was stopped when Sugoroku called after him, "There's one problem she has from being in a coma: she can only speak Ancient Egyptian right now, not a lick of Japanese."

"WHAT?! YOU MEAN SHE WAS JUST LIKE ATEM-KUN WHEN HE FIRST WOKE?! THAT SUCKS!"

"Now, now, calm down. Atem's working with her so she can at least have some comprehension by tomorrow, although it's going slowly."

The sixteen-year-old raced into the living room (their birthday was in June), where Mitsuko was talking slowly with Atem. "Mi-ne!"

Mitsuko leapt off the couch and hugged her twin just as tightly as he was, tears in her eyes. Her voice was shaking and awkward as she whispered, "Yu-nii."

"How come she said my name like that?" he asked Atem when the moment was over and they'd sat down.

"She demanded the first thing she learned in Japanese was how to say what she calls you. She's picking things up rather quickly, although not quite quickly enough that she'll be understandable by tomorrow, when we go to school."

"She's going to school tomorrow?! But you didn't go to school until you could at least speak in sentences!"

"She needs to catch up on her studies, Yugi. Jii-chan thinks it's important and she agrees. She told me she wants to get a scholarship so she can go to college."

Mitsuko, who was staring into space, touched Atem's mind, suddenly jerking back when she could understand what was being said through his thoughts. Atem turned to her and asked, "**What's wrong? I felt you, then you pulled back like you were burned.**"

She touched his mind again and then forced out like she was saying something unpleasant, "I…can...under...stand...through—" She gritted her teeth and then spat out, "YOU!"

Both Yugi and Atem were gob smacked. Yugi hugged her and cheered, "That's great! You'll be able to learn faster this way and be better in no time!"

Mitsuko smiled and nodded. "I...won't...let..." She grunted in effort. "...this! Beat! Me!" She shouted the last part, grinning fiercely.

Her speech was flat and without its usual cadence, like she was learning to speak for the first time, but at least she was speaking. Atem smiled fondly and patted her shoulder. "Good, Mitsuko. Keep going, you'll get better in no time."

Yugi then scowled at him. "You're calling her by her first name. Did something happen?"

Atem shrugged. "She started calling me just by mine, too. Perhaps we've made a large progression in our relationship."

"She's been in a coma for four months! How could you have made any progress?!"

"I was in her mind, constantly calling for her at her soul room door. She knows that I didn't give up on her and understands my feelings better than before."

Mitsuko smiled and took his hand. "Atem...always...was...there... Knocking. Calling. My n...name. He...cares."

Yugi still didn't relent. "You made a _huge_ jump in honorifics! Going from 'Mitsuko-sama' and 'Atem-ou' to just plain names is too jarring for everyone to keep up with! At least call each other 'Mitsuko-chan' and 'Atem-kun'!"

His sister pulled a face and then shook her head. "Too...hard. For. Now."

Yugi huffed and then crossed his arms, only to snap his fingers. "Oh! I almost forgot! I'll be right back!"

He ran out of the room, calling, "Jii-chan! Jii-chan!" and making an awful racket, before he came back with Sugoroku, both carrying wrapped packages. Yugi held out a small box and announced, "Happy Birthday!"

She raised her eyebrows and stated jerkily, "Birth. Day. Three. Months...ago."

"Yeah, but you weren't awake then, so we're giving you your gifts now!"

She took the box and unwrapped it, then lifted the lid. A small device on a keychain with a screen and buttons lay inside. She lifted it up by the keyring and tilted her head. "What's...this."

"It's a portable pet game! They're really popular right now at school and I thought you'd like one!"

She smiled and hugged him. "Thank...you."

Sugoroku grinned as he presented her a flat, rectangular present. Atem smirked as he sat back, obviously knowing what the gift was, but wasn't telling. "For my precious granddaughter, I hope you like it."

She grinned back and unwrapped it, only to stare in wide-eyed awe. Yugi bounced up and down as he demanded, "What card is it?! Which one?!"

She'd gotten a Duel Monsters card that was put in a flat plastic case and hung on a silver chain. She was speechless, since she knew this card was so precious to her grandpa. Tears gathered in her eyes as she murmured, "Blue. Eyes. White. Dragon."

Yugi turned to Sugoroku and exclaimed, "You...you gave her that card which you got from your old friend from America?! Why?"

"It's precious to me, but not as precious as you two are in my life. I think Arthur would understand, plus I was able to snag a second, which is hidden just behind that one."

"H...how?! There's only four in the whole world!"

"Several years back, before the game was popular, I decided to collect the cards and came across it in a pack. I suppose I was meant to have two, one to represent each of you."

"Oh. You want Mi-ne to protect them for you so they won't be stolen again?"

"Yes, and I want her to know that her life is more important than those cards. I lost my composure when I found out one was missing and when it came back, I knew I valued them far too much, since I'd missed visits to the hospital over such a small thing. Mi, they're yours to keep, do with them as you wish."

Mitsuko looked up at him, tears escaping to run down her cheeks. She hugged her grandpa and whispered brokenly, "I...don't... I...can't...thank. You. Enough. I...love...you...Jii...chan..."

Sugoroku returned the hug and then held out his hand. "May I?"

She nodded and handed him the necklace, letting him loop it around her neck and then fasten the strong clasp. It rested just below her collarbone, and could be hidden under her school jacket, which was loose enough not to show the corners. Right now it lay outside her top, but would be hidden whenever she went outside.

"Maybe we should put another card over it, so no one will find out she has them!"

"Unless she wants to, I won't force her. Mi?"

Mitsuko shook her head and then cradled the pendant, a soft smile on her face. She was tapped on the shoulder, then looked up to see Atem in front of her. He put his hands on her shoulders. "This is _my_ birthday present to you."

He then closed in and kissed her, her eyes wide open as she stiffened in surprise.

Yugi gaped and Sugoroku (who'd given the pair permission to date now that they were sixteen) smiled proudly, knowing that this was the start of a beautiful relationship between the two.

* * *

It sounds like the end, doesn't it? Nah, not even close! We haven't even finished the first arc of the manga yet!

How did everyone like my interpretation of the two chapters? I included some shout outs to the missing chapters that Mitsuko was not awake for, especially the ones in which Kaiba first appears!

Hmmm...speaking of Kaiba... *grins* Love him so much!

Please review!


	6. Chapter 6: Mitsuko Meets Seto Kaiba

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! isn't mine, as much as I wish it was! My first anime! :(

Now Mitsuko has to deal with re-learning her native language, while at the same time going to school! How will things go now?

Read the chapter and find out!

* * *

**Chapter 6: Mitsuko Meets Seto Kaiba**

The next morning, Mitsuko got up bright and early, going to the bathroom for her morning ritual. She automatically connected to Atem's mind, so she could think what things were in Japanese so she could get them down faster. _Hallway. Bathroom. Light switch. Sink. Faucet. Knobs. Water. Mirror. Toothbrush. Toothpaste. Brushing teeth. Hairbrush. Brushing hair. Braiding hair. Glasses. Putting on glasses. Bedroom. Uniform. Putting on school uniform. Stairs. Walking down stairs._

"Good morning, Mi!" Sugoroku greeted as she sat down and began to eat.

"Good...morning... Jii. Chan." _Chopsticks. Eating. Swallowing. Drinking. Bowl. Plate. Cup._

"You're concentrating on your breakfast like it's trying to fight you," he joked, patting her head. "Are you okay?"

She nodded and frowned as she kept up her word exercise, mouthing words between bites.

"Keep up your practicing, although you should wait until Atem and Yugi come down to start walking to school."

Atem came down a few minutes later, fully dressed and groomed. He smiled at Mitsuko as she put her things into her backpack.

/May I help in your practice?\\

/Yes, since you're thinking to me in Japanese.\

/What do you want me to tell you about?\\

/What's been going on at school?\

/You've heard of the school's former psychic, Kokurano-san?\\

/Yes. Did he do something?\

/I uncovered that he was a fake after he tried to end my life by tipping over the bookshelves in the school library.\\

/What a jerk.\

/He thought Anzu-san was in love with me from how she believed me when I said it was a sham. It isn't love, just trust between friends.\\

/Not just a jerk, but a moron as well. What came next?\

/The school festival came next, and it was our luck to get the best spot for our class' booth. We decided to do carnival games as our theme, but just as we were finishing setting up, one of the senior classes bullied our class into giving it up, destroying our booth with their enormous okonomiyaki griddle. I took care of that quickly and we were able to fix it in time.\\

/Since you omitted how you "took care of it" it was pretty gruesome, right?\

/Yes.\\

/Okay. Next?\

"We're gonna be late!" Yugi cried as he rushed down the stairs and grabbing a piece of toast, putting it in his mouth as he put on his shoes. "Come on, guys!"

They walked at a fast clip as Yugi raced ahead.

/Kaiba Seto stirred up trouble, I've told you that one, then Jonouchi-kun had trouble with the gang he was a member of before he met you and Yugi, but I took care of that as well with Yugi. There was a pause of about two months before I met Shadi and had him help you.\\

/Wow, a lot of things happened while I was sleeping, didn't they?\

/Yes. Perhaps after school we'll be able to go on a date.\\

She bit her lip and twiddled her fingers. _I guess my sudden increase in affection for him that I've hidden behind my frustration all this time is partly because I _know_ he cares about me, although he doesn't show it very well. _/Sure.\

He smiled and they both paid better attention when they entered their classroom. Anzu noticed Mitsuko first and ran over, hugging her as she shrieked, "MITSU! YOU'RE OKAY!"

Jonouchi and Honda leapt over desks and chairs to get over fast enough to their other female friend. They inspected her like a couple of mother hens, just to make sure she was fine.

"Wow, I'm floored you're okay from being in a coma for four months!" the blonde exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'd thought you'd still be at the hospital!" Honda agreed, still looking her over some.

She grinned brightly and forced out, "I...am...okay..."

The three paused in their joy when the tiny girl spoke, before Jonouchi asked Atem, "What's going on? She's not talking right."

Atem guided her to her seat as she rolled her eyes with a frustrated sigh. "When she woke, she was unable to speak or understand Japanese. You remember the language I spoke at first? That was all she could speak yesterday morning. How she speaks now is the result of hours of speech drills. You know she's smart, she should be up to speed in no time."

Mitsuko felt someone's eyes burning into the side of her head and snapped her head towards the classroom door. She was met with a tall, blue-eyed brunette who seemed about her age, his jacket buttoned up and collar closed. She raised her eyebrows at the look he was giving her, a mix of confusion and annoyance along with a flicker of...admiration.

_Did I just see what I thought I saw in his eyes? Who the heck is this guy and why is he staring at me?_

Atem noticed her confusion through their link and turned his head towards the door, only for the teacher to come in and call, "Everyone take your seats! Class has begun!"

/Is something wrong?\\

/This guy I've never seen before in class.\ She showed him her memory of the teenage boy.

/Oh, it's—\\

"Mutou Mitsuko!"

"Here!" she called out, and the entire class turned to look at her.

"You're back at last, Mitsuko-san. You look much better and everyone, she's having trouble speaking, so don't tease her!"

"Yes, sensei!"

She felt an embarrassed flush come to her face as she hid it with her arms.

* * *

At lunch, the same boy came up to her as she bought some lunch. She raised her eyebrows again and asked, "Yes?"

He smiled and bowed to her. "I'm Kaiba Seto, nice to meet you."

She bowed back and was about to answer when he held up a hand.

"Don't strain yourself on my account. I know who you are: Mutou Mitsuko, the classmate who's been absent for the last four months due to a coma. Your grades are excellent and your attendance record was flawless until the incident that caused your coma. Until this spring, you were one of the most-bullied people in the school, but then things changed as Jonouchi and Honda became your friends and Damiri moved here as an exchange student. So tell me, what draws them to you?"

_What's he getting at? Even if he's smiling, I can tell he's trying to pump information out of me. Why did he single me out when he walked into the classroom this morning? This better not be about getting revenge on Atem._ She gave a non-committal shrug and walked past him to go pay for her food. She frowned slightly when he followed her and gazed at her, intent on getting her answer. After she'd paid for her meal, she asked, "Why."

He raised his eyebrows and then shrugged. "I'm curious about you."

_What?! This is about _me_?_ "Why."

"Isn't everyone? You're quite the enigma in this school, second to Damiri. No one can figure out why, one day, you let your hair down and took off your glasses, looking like a different person altogether, yet the next day you were back to your normal look."

_Has he been asking around about me? I don't like it. If he wanted to know these things, he could've asked me properly, unless he heard them just because of the rumors which have been flying around. _"I...want...ed...to...be. Myself. For. Once."

With that she left him standing there, mulling over what she'd said.

* * *

"What kept you?" Atem asked as she joined him and the others while they ate at their desks.

"Kaiba...Seto..."

All her friends tensed. "Kaiba-kun talked to you?" Yugi questioned, worry on his face.

She nodded.

"What did he say?" Anzu asked.

"Introduced. Himself. Started. Spouting. Facts. About. Me. Wanted. To. Know. Why. I. Changed. My...look...for...one...day."

Atem looked concerned, but said nothing. Jonouchi demanded, "What did you say? For him to leave you alone?"

"I...answered." _He hasn't done anything to me and unless he undresses me, he isn't getting the Blue-Eyes White Dragons. He was polite, so I returned the courtesy. I don't know him personally, so what was the harm?_

Yugi sighed and shook his head. "You guys are too concerned about him being an enemy to realize that maybe he was just introducing himself because that was the polite thing to do."

/Mitsuko, keep your guard up with him.\\

/Why? You sense something wrong about him?\

/He shouldn't be so level-headed with how I punished him in such a short time. Why is he so curious about you when he knows you're associated with me? Did he ask anything about me?\\

/No, he only asked about me.\

/Hmmm... No, that couldn't be it.\\

/What?\

/You needn't worry about it now, Mitsuko.\\

/I'm curious, what did you guess about his motives?\

/I'm keeping it to myself for now.\\

She frowned as she focused on the outside world. _What's he hiding? Is there something about Kaiba-san's curiosity that I shouldn't know about? I hope he doesn't use his Shadow Magic on him just because of this. Atem can be overprotective, although it's warranted, I am a trouble magnet with the Millennium Puzzle around my neck._

* * *

After school, Atem waved to Anzu and Yugi and announced, "I'll meet you back at the house, Yugi. Jii-chan knows where we're going."

Yugi grinned and called after them, "Have a good time on your date, Mi-ne!"

Anzu sighed and then waved as she cried, "I hope you're ready to tell me everything after your date tomorrow at school, Mitsu!"

Mitsuko blushed and shook her head. _Why do I have a bad feeling about this?_

Atem led her to a stretch of beach that she'd never been to before. She tilted her head and asked mentally, /Why the beach?\

/I've never been to the beach and when I heard this city was next to the ocean, I had to see it with you.\\

She smiled and laced her fingers through his. _This might not be what I think of when I hear the word "date", but seeing his face as he watches the waves, I can't look away. The childlike wonder on his face is breathtaking. I guess I can let this one go._

He walked to the place where the waves washed over the toes of his sneakers. He squatted and murmured, "I wonder what ocean water tastes like."

She opened her mouth to protest, then winced as he took a huge mouthful.

* * *

They ended up at the closest store, him drinking glass after glass of water. /You might've had the sense to warn me.\\

/I was about to, but you did it so suddenly! What did you expect? Ocean water is _salty_.\

/I feel so thirsty I could drink the whole of the Nile.\\

/Well, at least water is free here. In Japan, _never_ drink water from any body of water.\

She drank from a water bottle as he drank so much he had to run to the bathroom to barf. She grimaced as she heard him heaving and shook her head. /Maybe you won't be so thirsty, now that you've had a nice conversation over the porcelain phone with Ralph.\

/What does that mean?\\

/Yu-nii, Jonouchi-kun or Honda-kun's never said that about somebody throwing up? Man, you're missing some colorful expressions.\

/You mean people actually say that when mentioning being ill?\\

/Yeah. There's several ways to say it, plus it's funnier than saying "did you enjoy throwing up?" I prefer spewing your guts, blowing chunks, tossing your cookies.\

/You're confusing me.\\

/Catch up with the times, or else a ton of people you meet on the street will confound you. You have three thousand years, go.\

/You're making up these phrases, I know it.\\

/Ask Yu-nii, he'll tell you they're common. I just have tried not to use them around you.\

He came out of the bathroom, an arm over his stomach. /Maybe we should just speak aloud.\\

/I sound like a retard when I speak Japanese right now, I'm not doing it in public.\

/Well then, we'll speak my mother tongue, just this once.\\

They stepped out after buying some sports drinks to calm Atem's stomach. She began snickering and he frowned.

"**What's so amusing?**"

"_**Only**_** you would drink ocean water without asking if it's good to drink first.**"

"**Stop mocking me! In my day, laughing at me was followed by a death sentence!**"

"**Oh come on, you're really gonna start talking like an old man, saying 'in my day'?**"

"**I'm **_**far**_** from being an old man, Mitsuko! Enough with this mockery of my person!**"

"**Please, you can take being mocked by your opponents, but a little lip from me and you explode? What's the difference?**"

"_**You're**_** doing it to amuse yourself! That's the difference!**"

She sighed and shook her head, a smile still on her face. "**Atem, you have to loosen up. I'm just teasing, you should laugh with me or tease me back. You shouldn't be so serious all the time.**"

"**Your current attitude and look don't coincide with each other. Stop confusing me.**"

"**When it's just you and me, you should be thankful I can relax enough to let myself out of the polite, quiet persona I use at school and home. **_**This**_** is a side of me I hardly show anyone, even Yu-nii.**"

"**Why would you hide it?**"

"**Usually people get offended if I act this way around them, and I'm **_**trying**_** to be a good girl at school and home. Both Jii-chan and Yu-nii would've worried I'd become a delinquent.**"

"**So you're lying to them.**"

"**Everyone has a side to them they hide from everyone else. It's human nature.**"

He was silent as she watched her interact with the world with her bold side, yet she was _never _inconsiderate or rude when she crossed other people's paths, something that was common with both her personas. Her walk was also sure and not as reserved. She held her head high and smiled with confidence. It clashed badly with her braids and glasses.

On accident, a man bumped into her, and she chirped, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bump into you!"

The man rubbed the back of his head and bowed his head. "No, it was my fault, little girl. Thank you for the apology, though."

She bowed her head back and replied, "You're welcome, and just so you know, I'm sixteen."

The man gaped, but she went on her way and smiled as she looked up at a tall skyscraper. She chuckled and pointed at it. "**That's KaibaCorp's main office building. I wonder if** **Kaiba-san's slaving away up there, being the CEO at sixteen.**"

"**Why do you call it 'KaibaCorp'?**"

She snorted. "**Everyone does, it's shortened so you don't have to have your mouth full of 'Kaiba Corporation' all the time. Even he calls it that, and he's the one who runs the company. Random fact for the day: KaibaCorp used to be a company which manufactured weapons for war. I'd bet you wouldn't know it by how popular its products are with Seto Kaiba at the helm!**"

"**Why did it change?**"

"**Change of CEOs. It used to be run by his stepfather, Gozaburo Kaiba, who adopted him and his younger brother, Mokuba, from an orphanage when Kaiba-san was only ten. At fourteen, he staged a hostile takeover and changed it to a gaming company. Even Jii-chan has products from KaibaCorp.**"

"**How do you know all this?**"

"**Some of it is common knowledge, others, I had to look up on the Internet. Seto Kaiba is smart, hardworking, resourceful, and is strict on how is company is run, slacking isn't tolerated in the slightest. I'd hate to work there, even as hardworking as I am.**"

/You're getting better at speaking in Japanese again. I suppose all this connection between the both of us is helping you more than just interacting with people and stumbling through it.\\

/I noticed that too. I didn't stumble at all when I spoke to that man, which would've been awkward, to say the least.\

"**I'm sure you would do fine, once you graduated from high school.**"

She pursed her lips, but shrugged. "**If you say so, I don't agree with you.**" She looked up at the building again and then shook her head. "**Whoever becomes his wife will be a lonely woman indeed, if he works as hard as I suspect he does. A born workaholic, that's Seto Kaiba.**"

"**Why would you think about such a thing?**"

"**Why not? It's just a random thought.**" _He sure jumped on that quick. Does he think I might be in danger of _liking_ Kaiba-san? That's just weird, I barely met him today!_

"**Sometimes even random thoughts can be dangerous.**"

"**You're weird. It's not like I dream about being **_**anyone's**_** wife at night. Marriage isn't on the top of my list of accomplishing in my lifetime.**"

"**Why?**"

"**Being a housewife means 'Game Over' on my plans for the future. I'm going to college, getting a master's degree in astronomy, then becoming an astronomer. I'm sure by then, I'll be at least in my late twenties. Maybe **_**then**_** I might consider getting married and starting a family.**"

He stopped walking and she paused. _What's with him?_

"**You **_**don't**_** even think that after you finish school, **_**we**_** might get married?**"

"**Why? I don't plan on having kids when I'm eighteen. I'm sure I'll be an awesome mom, but my dream comes first. You know this already, so why are you asking me?**"

He lowered his head and muttered something she couldn't pick up. She leaned closer, hand to her ear.

"**What was that? I didn't catch it.**"

He began walking again and she _knew_ that what he'd said was important for to hear. _He just doesn't get that most women in Japan chase their dreams first, then comes marriage and all that other stuff._ "**Atem, Atem! Wait! What did you say?! Come on, spit it out! I won't laugh or get mad!**"

"**It's obvious you think my views on our relationship are second to yours. What has this world come to that I must wait for my destiny until **_**you**_** think you're ready?**"

She shrank back and held her chest. _Is he serious? I thought he was respecting my opinion and letting this go at my pace. Am I really being so selfish that I want _my_ dreams to come true first? He didn't really expect me to fall into his arms from the very first and we'd have a whirlwind romance, getting married at sixteen? People would look down on us and say he must've made me pregnant when I was fifteen so I was forced to marry him! No one gets married and has a kid at sixteen!_

She shook until she exploded, "YOU THINK _I'M_ BEING SELFISH, _MY PHARAOH?!_ YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE PRESENT WORLD AT ALL!"

With that she whirled around and ran back home.

* * *

In record time she got back to the Kame Game Shop, boiling mad. Yugi noticed her mood and backed up when she stomped to her room, throwing the Millennium Puzzle on the floor and slamming the door closed, locking it.

She threw her glasses off and undid her hair, running her fingers through it as she paced her room, only pausing to put her contacts in. She pulled out her gym uniform and put another outfit and her swimsuit in her duffel bag, picking it up and throwing the Millennium Puzzle in the bottom. _It's only "just in case" I get in trouble. If no one can see me wearing it, why would they pick on me? It's all because of my stupid "quiet persona" that I'm this weak. I can't even swim, for Pete's sake!_

She put her hair back in a ponytail and came out of her room, Sugoroku about to knock. He jumped back at her appearance and asked, "Going out again, Mi?"

She nodded and answered, "I need to go to the gym."

Yugi, who had heard her door slam open, was peeking from behind his door. "But you're always saying that gym class is too hard, Mi-ne. Why take it up now?"

"I have to relieve some stress, and staying in my room won't help that. I'll be back in a few hours for dinner."

She ran out of the house, all the way to the gym, which was ten blocks away.

* * *

After that, every night she went to the gym after her work at Burger World (she'd gotten her job back after explaining the situation to her boss), getting help from the regulars and trainers, who found out she was having problems with her boyfriend. She soon learned what was good for her and did everything from weight training, aerobics, swimming, to judo. She was pressed to stay away from Atem, the root of all her stress and problems, so her exercise was obsessive. Her gym grades shot up as she got better at physical activities, her muscle tone obvious under her uniform. When she went to and from school, she jogged, so that even bullies who _would've_ wanted to pick on her couldn't keep up.

One day, during gym class, they were at the pool and were about to swim from one end to the other, the gym teacher placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You can sit this one out, Mitsuko-chan. It's written in your records that you can't swim."

"No, I can do it," she insisted, doing the proper stretches everyone did before going into the pool.

"You mean you've been trying? Then, if you can get even a quarter of the way there, I can let you turn back. I can't have you drown."

"I'll be fine."

Anzu came up to her, worried. "Are you sure, Mitsu? You haven't been able to swim since we took swimming lessons when we were kids."

Mitsuko frowned and touched her toes. "I've been practicing. I want to show everyone I can do it."

"Please, don't push yourself. I know you've been working hard, but I don't want you getting hurt."

"Just watch, I'll do it." _She thinks she knows me, she doesn't. Everyone will watch me as I touch the other end of the pool._ She shot a look at her other friends, including Atem, who showed the most concern next to Yugi. _You'll see, I can swim half a lap of the pool. Water won't hold me down anymore. Just watch me, Pharaoh! I'll show you I'm _not weak_!_

* * *

At almost the end of gym class, when it was almost Mitsuko's turn to swim again (the teacher kept skipping her name, which annoyed the heck out of her), Kaiba came in, obviously late because he'd had to work. The teacher sighed and shook her head.

"Kaiba, late again? Come take your turn, please."

Mitsuko frowned and a not-very-nice idea came to her. She stood on the edge next to Kaiba, who raised his eyebrows. "Something wrong, Mutou?"

She shrugged and stated, "I just need to take my turn, too. Do you mind?"

He shook his head and as the teacher brought the whistle to her lips, she whispered, "The one who gets to the end of the pool first has to buy the other lunch."

His eyes widened as she leapt in just before he did. She swam quickly, her feet kicking and arms pushing her through the water in the classic stroke. Everyone gaped as she touched the wall just a split second before the brunette did. She grinned at him and held out her hand.

"Do you want to eat in the lunchroom?"

His eyes narrowed and he hissed, "You knew you were going to beat me."

She shrugged. "Not really, I just wanted to see how much better I'd gotten. It was by pure chance I beat you."

"You'd better be prepared to be challenged in something else later."

She smiled and hoisted herself out of the pool. "Okay, I'll be happy to."

The rest of the class was whispering to each other.

"Was that Mutou-chan?"

"What has she been doing that she can swim like a pro?"

"That was so cool!"

"Go Mutou-chan!"

"She _does_ look stronger than she was before, I wonder if she's been taking lessons from Damiri-kun?"

She rolled her eyes and walked to the gym teacher. "How did I do?"

"You were _wonderful_, Mitsuko-chan! Have you been taking lessons?"

"You could say that."

"Keep up with it and maybe the swimming team might ask you to join them!"

She shrugged and headed to the showers as the teacher blew the whistle. "Class is over! Make sure you rinse off well so your skin doesn't dry out!"

Anzu came up to her as they rinsed off the chlorine from the pool. "When have you had time to take lessons when you're dating Atem-kun, studying hard and..." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "...working double shifts at Burger World?"

"Cut out the 'dating Atem' and you'll find your answer."

"You mean you two haven't been dating this past month?"

"Do you think after our first date we'd _keep_ dating? You've got to be joking! You heard from my own lips he doesn't understand me at all and most of the time we argue!"

"But _everyone_ can see that you two are a couple!"

"We haven't talked for a whole month."

"I think you're running from your feelings, Mitsu."

"I might think he's hot, his personality for the most part is nice, but he wants me to marry him when we're out of school and have kids. He doesn't even _consider_ that I don't want that until I'm at least out of college with a master's degree."

"Maybe your hobby can wait. Haven't you seen how he looks at you? He's in love with you, it's written all over his face!"

"You _know _how much my dream to be an astronomer is, Anzu. It's not just a hobby and you know it."

"Yes, I know, but dreams change."

Mitsuko gave her childhood friend a flat stare. "Would _you_ give up your dream of going to New York to dance if some _guy_ were to ask you to marry him right out high school?"

"If I loved him, yes. This isn't about me, it's about you and what future you want. There's an unbreakable connection between you two, and I'm positive you love him, too! You just don't want to admit it!"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Oh no! We're going to keep talking until you see sense!"

_What _you_ see as sense. I wish you would stop being so insistent on pushing what _you_ think about what's good for me, since you want to see Atem happy._

Mitsuko felt her meek persona cracking. Her face twitched some in anger as she pushed it back together. She dressed in her school uniform and stepped out of the locker room, Anzu hot on her tail.

"Ever since you changed yourself for a day, I've seen you mistreating Atem-kun by ignoring him, after all he's done for you! If it weren't for him, you could've gotten hurt a lot more than you have!"

"I'm not some damsel in distress."

"Don't you think you've been rather pigheaded about this whole thing? Your arguments with Atem-kun are doing nothing but hurting him! He wants what's best for you, shouldn't you meet him halfway?"

Mitsuko didn't answer as she entered the lunchroom, struggling to keep herself under control.

"Don't ignore me, Mutou Mitsuko! You're just being entirely too selfish about this!"

Like a light bulb smashed against a wall, Mitsuko snapped. Her shield shattered into a million pieces and they lit on fire, shown in her eyes as she whirled around and screamed, "NO, YOU LISTEN TO ME! _I_ KNOW WHAT'S RIGHT FOR ME! I'M SICK AND TIRED OF EVERYONE PUSHING ME AROUND BECAUSE THEY THINK I'M TOO WEAK TO MAKE MY OWN DECISIONS! WELL GUESS WHAT?! I'VE CHANGED AND NO ONE CAN BULLY ME ANYMORE, FRIEND OR NOT! IF YOU CAN'T SUPPORT ME IN MY CHOICES, YOU'RE NO FRIEND OF MINE, UNDERSTAND?!"

She turned, panting for breath, before she turned her head back towards the shell-shocked Anzu. "If you like Atem so much, why don't _you_ date him? He's a dream-killer, and _no_ girl should date him that has high expectations for herself."

With that she took her glasses off and let her hair fly free, her stance open and confident. She smiled in a way that screamed pride, as she walked over to where Kaiba stood, his eyes wide as he watched her. She stopped next to him and looked him straight in the eyes. "Still on for lunch, Kaiba-san?"

He recovered and smirked. "Of course. You defeated me fair and square, but just wait until we try something else."

"I'd be glad to do whatever you challenge me to."

"You'll wish you never said that."

"Perhaps, the future isn't written in stone." _Unlike for certain people._

* * *

Mitsuko and Atem's relationship is on the rocks, but then again, when has it _ever_ gone smoothly? Will they get back together, or will her new attitude stick?

Only the next chapter will tell!

Please review!


	7. Chapter 7: Destined Meetings&Dark Clubs

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! The song "Battlefield" belongs to Jordin Sparks!

For anyone who read the last chapter, I edited it because I realized I'd made a couple mistakes. Watched too much anime, I suppose!

Now we go on to the next chapter, where things are revealed and get much more complicated!

* * *

**Chapter 7: Destined Meetings and Dark Clubs**

Mitsuko paid for another capsule in the vending machine and grinned a she got another monster she hadn't gotten before. _Yes! I'm able to expand my collection once more! I _love_ collecting games almost as much as playing them!_

"Hey girlie! Would you hurry up already?!" a kid's voice behind her shouted. "If you don't, I'll flip your skirt—"

Mitsuko caught the boy's hand and shot a glare at him. "You would _dare_ to flip a _teenage girl's _skirt?! It's just a game, you moron! A snot-nosed brat like you has _no right_ to touch a skirt I bought with my own money! And don't call me _girlie_ like I'm some child your age! I'm _sixteen, _FYI! Now shut up and wait your turn, brat!"

She inserted another one hundred yen and twisted the knob, only to get nothing. She kicked the wall and turned away. "Piece of junk."

"Hey you!"

She looked up with a cool look that could freeze fire at a kid who was grinning at her. "I don't care who you are, if you're like that pervert back there, I'm not into kids, okay?"

The kid, who had black hair down to his shoulder blades and narrow gray eyes, hands in his jean pockets, snickered at her words. "Nah, I don't like older girls. From Nii-sama's description, you must be Mutou Mitsuko."

She raised her eyebrows and put her hands on her hips. "Who's your brother?"

"Of course you know him! Kaiba Seto!"

"Ah, now I see. He hasn't mentioned you when we've talked, then again, he hasn't talked about himself much."

He gritted his teeth and stabbed a finger at her. "Stay away from him!"

"Why?"

"Why?! Nii-sama's obsessed about you almost as much as your _boyfriend_, Damiri Atem!"

Mitsuko snorted, almost starting to laugh. "Wow, you're sure behind the times. Atem's not my _boyfriend_, we've gone on a single date and that ended up in a complete fallout. We haven't spoken in two months."

That threw the kid for a loop. "R-really? Is that why you became friends with Nii-sama? You're on the _rebound?"_

"You sound like I was madly in love with Atem and I'm using Kaiba-kun to pick up the pieces!" She laughed and shook her head, an honest smile coming to her face. "I like Kaiba-kun as a _friend_, and the feeling's mutual. Most of my friends I had at first don't get how I'm acting anymore...so right now, Kaiba-kun is the only true friend I have."

This made Kaiba's younger brother shift in discomfort. "From how he spoke of you, I thought you..." He shook it off. "Nevermind! I'm Kaiba Mokuba, it's nice to meet you despite our misunderstanding!"

They bowed to each other and he waved to her to walk with him. He looked her up and down, then smirked. "Wow, you sure have a fetish for black mixed with bright colors! And spikes, lots of spikes!"

Mitsuko's current outfit was a sleeveless neon pink top with "Lesbian Clown Cartel" written in dripping black and a pair of skulls where her breasts were, black arm warmers with neon blue horizontal stripes, a black pleated skirt which went down to her just above knees, black knee socks with yellow, red and green stars which were stopped by black leather ankle boots. Her hair was in two small high ponytails, the rest spilling down her back to the bottom of her shoulder blades, sparkly black and pink bows holding them up. Her gold bangs hung in her face, almost hiding the bright blue hoop earrings which had spikes hanging from them. And the rest of the spikes: on her leather collar, bracelets, and straps which held up her socks. She also wore a set of matching skull rings with ruby eyes. Over all of it, the Millennium Puzzle hung from a braided black leather chord (Of course, under her shirt was the chain with the Blue-Eyes White Dragon cards).

Her face was clean of any makeup, which didn't mess up the look at all.

"Thanks, Mokuba-san. You seem like a nice kid, once you stopped the 'mean kid' act."

"I'm protective of Nii-sama, what can I say? He's been frenzied at home and at work since he recovered from that Shadow Game Damiri put him in. If it weren't for..." He trailed off and shook his head. "It's nothing. You wouldn't know where a Blue-Eyes White Dragon card is, would you?"

"Besides the one Jii-chan had...nope, I can't say I've come across one. Why? Is Kaiba-kun looking for them?"

"Well, Nii-sama's been looking for the other three, and he's gotten two so far, but no leads on where the third is. He wants to have a rematch with Damiri, and needs all three to utterly devastate him."

_I don't care what happens with that rematch, but I promised Jii-chan I'd protect these cards. One's mine, the other will always be a precious gift from Jii-chan's friend. I don't care if Jii-chan said both are mine, I'll keep both of them safe as if they're still his. Jii-chan, they'll always be safe with me, I'll never duel with them for as long as I live._ "Hmmm, why does it have to be three? Isn't one overwhelming enough?"

"He wants to show Damiri the same fear he had when the dragon turned against him in their last duel, except three times over. Plus, with three of them in the deck, he could have so many other strategies by combining them!"

"You mean fusion? I can see what you mean. I wonder what fusing three Blue-Eyes White Dragons would make..."

"I don't know, just that it's incredibly powerful, off the charts when it comes to attack power." Mokuba looked thoughtful for a moment, before he had an idea. "Hey, do you want to come over to my house? It's full of all sorts of games we could try together!"

_I guess we've become friends by talking like this. I wonder what kind of house Kaiba-kun and his little brother live in._ "Okay, since I don't have anything to do, it being a Sunday."

A limo pulled up and Mokuba opened it for her. She slid in and buckled in, although Mokuba just laid back, his arms behind his head.

"I haven't had a real friend come over to my house in so long. Since you're in Nii-sama's class, you're sixteen, right?"

"Yeah, you're one of the first to come to that conclusion. I almost pounded the kid standing behind me when I was getting some Capsule Monsters pieces. I have fun collecting more than playing sometimes, although there are so many types, I couldn't possibly get them all just by going to that single machine! That's why trading's fun, too!"

"I hear you, although I just buy mine without having to go to the machine. I'm actually a Capsule Monsters champion!"

"Really? That's pretty cool."

"Nii-sama will be out for the remainder of the day at work, so we'll be able to play all night!"

_He's a good kid, but something seems fishy. If Kaiba-kun knew I was at his house, he'd at least drop in to say hello. As long as Yu-nii and Jii-chan don't get hurt in the process, I'm okay with whatever he does. Well, if Atem Shadow Game's his butt, I'm going to be _very_..._angry_... He already makes me miserable enough, but if he takes my friend, the only one I have, I'll have to kick _his_ butt._

"Oh, we're here!"

She looked up to see them parked in front of an enormous mansion. _This is amazing...how could they _afford_... Oh yeah, they inherited it from their stepfather. Plus KaibaCorp is doing so well, why _wouldn't_ they be rolling in money?_

When she stepped into the foyer, she couldn't help but stare. _This is...okay, I'm gonna stop there. I know, with how rich they are, I shouldn't be surprised by _anything_ they own. This place _has_ to have dozens of rooms, if not close to a hundred. And what's contained in those rooms..._

"Welcome home, Mokuba-sama."

_Servants to boot! They're set for life, aren't they?_

One servant came up to Mokuba and whispered something she couldn't catch into his ear. He nodded and called, "Come on, we're going to have _tons _of fun! Just you wait!"

* * *

Several hours passed of them playing games, Mitsuko winning most of them. She'd just won a _long_ round of Monopoly when Mokuba's stomach growled. He held it and blushed.

"Sorry, we've been at it for a long time, so do you want dinner?"

"Sure."

As they walked out of the game room, she glanced behind her, spotting a figure in shadow just beyond another doorway. _Who's that? I'm sure they were watching us the whole time. A servant, or a bodyguard? Maybe they have another sibling? Sometimes I wish I could talk to Atem, but then that would mean I'd have to tell him where I was, and the Kaiba Mansion is enemy territory._

She ate quietly with Mokuba, feeling the person watching them again. _They must be interested in me, it couldn't be anything else. Why don't they come in? Does Mokuba-san know about them?_

Mokuba stretched and yawned. "After such a good meal, I just want to turn in! What about you?"

"I'm staying here?"

"Of course! You can't walk home from here this late, and the driver for the limo went home! Come on, I'll show you to your room!"

She followed him upstairs and he snickered as he opened the door to one room. "Here we are, I hope you sleep well, because we both have school tomorrow!"

He closed the door behind her and she looked around. _There are many knickknacks in here that couldn't be here just for décor... Does that mean I'm in...Kaiba-kun's room?!_

A glint of gold on the nightstand made her pause in her freak out. She walked to it and her eyes were painfully wide as she noticed it was a rod with a sharp end and what looked like a ball on top with a pair of wings on either side of the ball. But what shocked her most was the eye on it: just like the one on the Millennium Puzzle. _Why does Kaiba-kun have a Millennium Item?! I have to tell Atem right away! Enough with the silence between us, this is important!_

She was about to open her mental link with the pharaoh when she felt the presence again, this time a pair of hands seizing her around the waist and one around her neck, a hand firmly over her mouth.

"Don't struggle," a breathy yet deep voice ordered. "I won't harm you if you don't turn around when I let you go."

Surprised by the strength of the person, she nodded. _Why is this guy so secretive he doesn't want me to see him?_

He let her go and she stayed where she was, murmuring, "Is this your room?"

"No, but I'm allowed everywhere in the mansion."

"You've been watching me."

"You noticed almost the same time I started from my observations."

"Who are you?"

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you that. Kaiba family secret."

"You're part of the Kaiba family?"

"No."

"From how easily you grabbed me, you have to be rather tall. My feet left the ground."

"My apologies, but that's something you shouldn't be touching."

"I wasn't going to touch it. I was just looking."

"Are you sure you weren't going to take it? It's pure gold and a precious artifact from ancient times."

_So he knows it could be valuable in the wrong hands. _"I have no need for such a thing, plus I'm not a thief." She paused and looked at how well-polished the Millennium Rod was. "It must be taken care of, being so shiny. Is it Kaiba-kun's?"

The stranger chuckled. "Yes. He inherited it, but doesn't like to use it. He prefers more modern items and technology."

"I noticed that when I saw he had the latest cell phone and a customized laptop in his huge metal briefcase. With a company like KaibaCorp, he's expected to have top-notch technology."

"It's how he is. He's very practical and level-headed."

_He seems to know a lot about Kaiba-kun. Maybe a cousin or friend from their time before they were adopted, which is why he doesn't have the same family name? _"What about you? Are you indebted to Kaiba-kun or are you a friend?"

"You could say he gave me a second chance at life and accepted me into his home. He and I have somewhat of a rocky friendship, or you could say partnership. He believes in a straightforward, open approach to everything, while I use my head to think of more subtle ways to do things. Sometimes a little more aggressive than he likes. Usually he takes my way when it's important, like now."

"What's going on?"

"That, my dear, is something you'll find out in the morning."

She raised her eyebrows at what he called her. _"My dear"? What kind of talk is that? Whoever he is, he likes to tease._ "Oh? Is that so? Whatever shall we do until then, _darling_?"

He was silent for a moment before he snickered, getting out, "I see Seto wasn't exaggerating when he said you like to tease. I think we'll like each other very much by the time the night is over."

* * *

She _eventually_ got to sleep, after a couple more hours of talk with Kaiba's partner/friend. When he left the room, she closed her eyes, pretending to sleep for a few moments. She opened her mental link with Atem and called out, /Atem? Are you there?\

/Finally talking to me after all this time?\\

/Stop with the sarcasm and let me talk. It's serious, which is why I'm temporarily breaking the silence. Kaiba-kun is the wielder of the Millennium Rod!\

/Where did you find this out?\\

/That's not important right now!\

/Yes, it is! Kaiba has myself and the rest of our friends locked in a deadly game called "Death-T", which he forced us into, telling me that he had you held hostage!\\

/Moron! You know that Kaiba-kun and I are friends! Why'd you believe his obvious bluff?!\

/I couldn't take that chance that he _did_ have you hostage!\\

/Fine, fine, whatever. I'm not getting into a mental shouting match at one in the morning. I'm in the Kaiba Mansion right now, about to go to sleep. I found the Millennium Rod on Kaiba-kun's nightstand and he has a friend who won't let me see his face that sounds awfully like him living in his house. _Please_ tell me I'm not going crazy in thinking that perhaps one of your priests has been awakened as well?\

/I had a hunch, but nothing solid, but your discovery has proved it. My most loyal high priest and cousin has been awakened just as I have.\\

/What's his name?\

/Set.\\

/What does he look like?\

/Kaiba, save he's Egyptian.\\

/Okay, so Kaiba-kun must be his reincarnation, just like Yu-nii and I are yours. And, I'm assuming, he was the previous wielder of the Millennium Rod.\

/Yes. Mitsuko, I want you to be careful while you're there. Although you're amongst friends, Kaiba has sinister intentions and isn't the flawless friend you think he is.\\

/No one's perfect, Atem. I knew he had plans for a rematch with you, and you should be thankful Jii-chan gave me the Blue-Eyes White Dragons for safekeeping.\

/He planned on using them against me?\\

/Yeah, and if he'd gotten just one more, he would've had three in his deck and would've virtually been unstoppable.\

/Why are you telling me this?\\

/I don't need you surprised when you duel him.\

/I see. You know where your loyalties are, even after all the time you've shunned all of us.\\

/Maybe if you stopped pushing me around, I'd be a little more receptive to you courting me. All we do is argue and you don't try to stop it. You _let_ me rile you up.\

/Perhaps, but if you didn't try to anger me, I wouldn't become mad in the first place.\\

/As I said, you have to lighten up or you'll have anger problems all your life. Good night, I'm going to sleep now.\

/Hopefully things will be better in the morning when you wake.\\

She shrugged and drifted off.

* * *

The next morning she woke up bright and early, fixing her hair and putting in her contacts. She came down for breakfast and Mokuba skipped in. "It's just about time for Nii-sama's duel with Damiri. Come on, we have to go watch!"

"I heard that I was being 'held hostage', Mokuba-san. Is that true?"

Mokuba laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Oh come on, you really think I'd do that to you on Nii-sama's orders?"

"Well, it's not like you tied me down, took off my shoes and tickled my feet with feathers, but it's the concept of bringing me over and not suggesting I call home to inform Jii-chan of my whereabouts is suspicious."

Just then, a guy around Kaiba's build and height entered the room, wearing a bandanna over his hair, a face mask over his mouth, sunglasses, a turtleneck shirt, gloves, slacks and slip-on shoes, the Millennium Rod tucked through a belt loop. "Ready, Mokuba?"

Mokuba covered his mouth to try and stifle his laughter. "You don't have to wear that every time you want to go out, you know. And all black? You'll look suspicious to our security."

Mitsuko tried to imagine what he looked like without most of his face covered (some tan skin was peeking out here and there). _Kaiba-kun with tan skin…I'm gonna have to work on that while I observe him. He does carry himself like Kaiba-kun, though, but with a little less stiffness._

"They know it's me _because_ I wear this every time we go out," Set replied, ruffling the boy's hair.

Mokuba had a sad look on his face as the action was being done, but he smiled again when he turned to Mitsuko. "Come on, we don't want to miss any of the action!"

Mitsuko nodded and followed them out. _He even walks the same… How could anyone miss the similarities? They truly _are_ the same person, only Set-san walks with the overwhelming confidence Atem does, being of royal blood. Do I want to join that family? I'm just a normal teenage girl, yet with the soul of a queen._ She shook her head and twisted her hands together. _I DON'T KNOW! THIS IS ALL SO CONFUSING! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!_

She looked up when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She gasped and looked up to see Set gazing down at her.

"I can feel the emotional turmoil you're going through. Don't think with your mind anymore, feel with your heart. It'll tell you what's right for you."

"Thank you," she said with a shaky smile. _He's sure wise for someone who can't be older than sixteen. That makes me wonder… When did he awaken and when did Kaiba-kun "inherit" the Millennium Rod? I doubt he'd tell me anything unless I give up information on when I completed the Millennium Puzzle and when Atem awoke. If I knew I could trust him as an ally, maybe we could exchange what we both want to know._

Mokuba patted her arm and chirped, "You can always trust Set-nii-sama to say something that'll make you feel better!"

"Mokuba!" Set snapped, which made Mokuba cover his mouth at his mistake.

Mitsuko pretended to be surprised and raised her eyebrows. "Set? That sounds _awfully_ like Kaiba-kun's first name. Are you _sure_ you aren't related? This could be quite the juicy bit of news I could spread around school, or maybe even the press!"

Set crossed his arms and she could feel the glare through his sunglasses. "You're fishing for blackmail," he snarled in his normal voice.

"Oh? You _sound_ just like Kaiba-kun, too! Maybe you're brothers from different parents? This gets more interesting with every word I'm hearing."

Set drew out the Millennium Rod, only for Mokuba to grab onto his wrist with both hands.

"Set-nii-sama, don't! You _know_ Nii-sama doesn't like it when you use it on people!"

"She's threatening our family's livelihood! How _couldn't_ I not use it to protect you both?!"

"Please! If you hurt her, her family _and_ Damiri won't take it sitting down!"

_I think I've let them squirm enough._ Mitsuko waved her hands and soothed, "Easy, you two. I wouldn't blackmail you, since I'm mostly in on your secret already."

Set sighed and put the Millennium Item back in its place on his belt. He then pulled down his face mask and took off his glasses, a glare on his face. "How long have you known?"

"Since last night, after you left. I asked Atem about you and the Millennium Rod."

"Why would he tell you? Seto said you haven't spoken in two months."

"Just because we haven't talked in so long doesn't mean he doesn't know that when I _do_ talk to him, it's serious and needs to be heard. He's not so stubborn that he'd snub me. So I know you're formerly high priest of Pharaoh Atem, his cousin and most loyal out of all his subjects. You were the former wielder of the Millennium Rod, and Kaiba-kun's your reincarnation, just Yugi and I are Atem's."

"So he knows I'm around now. Atem…I haven't seen him since he sealed his soul into the Millennium Puzzle three thousand years ago. It's a miracle he knows I'm his cousin, we look nothing alike."

"If you've been around for such a long time, why haven't you approached him earlier?"

"I prefer to be in the shadows and let Seto get all the attention. I would've had that job if Atem had stayed pharaoh."

Mokuba, who'd gotten lost in the middle, asked, "What're you two talking about? Does Mitsuko-san have a psychic connection like you do with Nii-sama?"

Mitsuko grinned and rubbed her hands together. "So _you_ can talk to Kaiba-kun just like I can to Atem? Is it because of the Millennium Rod? Or that you two share the same soul?"

"We have a connection through the Millennium Rod, although Seto doesn't believe it, even when I listen to his thoughts and answer them. He doesn't know how to make them private, so I hear every internal monologue he has. I think he imagines that I'm his conscience."

She giggled and Mokuba scowled. "Do you play tricks on him, Set-nii-sama? If you are, I'll tell Nii-sama about it!"

"No, no, I can't help that I can hear him all the time. I could close off our connection, but I've helped him several times on tough decisions, such as when he did that hostile takeover earlier this year."

"_You_ helped him with that? Well, I _did_ see him thinking a lot before he decided on the day we were going to take over KaibaCorp. I thought you were sick that week! _You_ were concentrating on planning with him?!"

"Yes, Mokuba-ototo. I needed all my wits to convince Seto. He's more stubborn than a mule at the best of times, you know that."

"Thanks, Set-nii-sama!"

Mokuba hugged him and Mitsuko smiled. _They really are a family if these two can interact like this and Set-san cares so much for Kaiba-kun enough to help him with his internal problems. How much does he know about me and does he really "talk" to Kaiba-kun, or does he just listen in on his thoughts all the time? Kaiba-kun, when you get a girlfriend, you'll_ have_ to learn how to block your thoughts or Set-san's going to be listening to everything, including your emotions, since I know Atem can do that to me._

Set's eyes narrowed as she got lost in thought and he asked, "What're you thinking about? You'd better not be telling Atem I'm coming to watch his match with Seto."

She gave him a slanted look. "Why would I do that? It's not important for me to tell him."

"You're quite the mean girl when you're mad at someone, aren't you?"

"Of course. He's being stubborn about how I can run my life. He doesn't understand how girls are this day and age."

"Do you try to understand his point of view? That marriage and having children is the reason he's here?"

She pressed her lips together and crossed her legs as she folded her arms defiantly.

"I see. You've spoken about this much with him, or rather, you've argued about it. You're two of a kind, the same soul, yet man and woman raised three thousand years apart and from two very different parts of the world. You will have your differences, but my cousin doesn't fight you time after time because he doesn't care, he in fact cares too much, which is why he tries so hard to have you see his goals."

_I guess it would be that way, if everyone seems to take his side, but Set-san's his cousin, so he'd know Atem better than his other priests would. His advice is sound and I'm sure I've broken Atem's heart every time I refuse him._

He pulled his disguise back on as the car stopped. He opened the door and Mokuba hopped out, Mitsuko after him. They went to an elevator which brought them to the top floor, watching as Kaiba began the duel with Atem. She smirked as she sensed Atem reaching victory as he drew Exodia, the Forbidden One.

"Atem's victory is certain."

"How can you tell?" Set asked.

"Watch."

"I summon Exodia, the Forbidden One!" Atem announced.

"Told you."

The two Blue-Eyes White Dragons exploded and Kaiba's lifepoints dropped to zero. Mitsuko was about to walk over when she saw the udjat on Atem's forehead as he gave Kaiba a Penalty Game. She winced as Kaiba fell back in his chair and asked Atem mentally, /Did you kill him?\

/No, I shattered his heart and he'll have to put it back together. He'll be alright soon enough.\\

"**It seems you'll have to deal with a comatose Millennium Item wielder this time, Set-san,**" Mitsuko stated in Ancient Egyptian, which made Set's eyes widen as she walked over to Atem, who took her hand as she stepped into the hologram box. She smiled and let him lead her to the other side, where their friends waited.

* * *

While everyone was celebrating at the Kame Game Shop, Atem and Mitsuko slipped away, onto the dark streets.

"I can't believe Kaiba took me for a fool, saying he had you hostage!" Atem exclaimed. "I didn't even call for you to see if you were alright!"

She grinned and tossed her head, her bows glittering in the moonlight. "That's what cellphones are for, at least for normal people."

He nodded and put an arm around her waist. She looked at him in surprise, but he smirked. She blushed and leaned into him as they walked. _Since we apologized and made up, he's been really familiar with touching me. He's only kissed me once, so where is this coming from?_

They walked for a while in comfortable silence until they entered a building which had flashing lights and throbbing music. Her eyes darted around and knew they had to be in some sort of club. A song came on and she began dancing, singing along.

(Insert Jordin Sparks - Battlefield)

In the middle, since the tempo wasn't as upbeat as some songs, Mitsuko had pulled Atem into a slow dance position, which made him confused.

"You dance to this music?"

"Yeah," she answered with a snort.

"It's unlike any I've heard before."

/You're from Ancient Egypt, music's evolved and changed since then, Pharaoh Atem.\

/I'll agree to that, since even the style of dancing is unfamiliar.\\

She leaned over to whisper in his ear, "Well then, let me teach you."

He shivered and nodded eagerly.

* * *

An hour passed, then another, and they were dancing to a really upbeat song, sweat running down their bodies, which were in closer proximity than at first. Suddenly, he threw his arms around her and drew her to him so they were flush together, his lips finding hers the next second. Her eyes closed and her arms wrapped around his neck, her inexperience showing as she didn't do much else.

He scooped her up and soon enough, they were lying on a bed. Adrenaline and passion flowed through them both, that all inhibitions faded to the background as she lost sight of herself altogether.

* * *

The next morning she found herself lying atop her bed, fully dressed and such, but feeling like a wreck. _Ugh, what happened to me?_

She rubbed her head and got out of bed, biting back a cry of pain as fire lanced through her lower regions. She looked at the calendar and nodded. Her monthly time was the next day, so pain was natural. She walked to the bathroom and took some pills for the pain, then returned to her room to change for school.

_I must've danced too much, because my feet _hurt_. I'm _never_ going to dance that much again, even if Atem asks me. Speaking of Atem, isn't he getting up for school? _/Atem? Are you awake yet? We're gonna be late for school.\

When he didn't answer, she knocked on his door, then Yugi's. "You guys better get up soon or you're gonna get a tardy!"

She went down and grabbed a piece of toast, Sugoroku looking up at her appearance.

"Oh, Mi! I didn't think you'd be going to school today!"

That made her confused. "Why?"

"When Atem-kun came home carrying you, saying you wouldn't be feeling good, I agreed you shouldn't go to school and didn't remind him to set your alarm."

"But we have a big test today! I have to go!"

"Alright, but rest as much as possible."

Her eyes narrowed as she jogged to school, getting there just on time. She sat down and then demanded of her brother and boyfriend, "What's going on that you convinced Jii-chan to let me stay home today?"

Yugi glanced at Atem, who replied, "I thought you'd be sore from all that dancing and exhausted from staying up so late two nights in a row, so I told Jii-chan and he agreed to have you stay home. It's quite obvious your tenacity is stronger than your common sense sometimes."

"It's a good thing if I take some aspirin to get rid of the pain and just keep going. I can't skip school when I already skipped Monday. I'm _trying_ to have a good attendance record, thank you very much."

It was then that the teacher came in and started roll call. It was when he got to "Kaiba Seto" and a voice answered, "Here!" that her eyes snapped to who was sitting in his seat. _What's Set-san doing here?!_

"Did you go tanning, Kaiba?"

"Yes sir, maybe a little too much if you noticed."

The class murmured amongst themselves at "Kaiba's" new skin tone, which was a one-eighty from his fair skin.

/I see Set has finally shown himself, but why is he sitting in on Kaiba's classes?\\

/He probably doesn't want Kaiba-kun's grade point average to fall by his continued absence, considering we don't know how long it'll take him to put his heart back together.\

/I'll have to talk to him during lunch.\\

/Okay, but I'll have to come with you, just to keep up the charade he's doing.\

* * *

At lunch, the pair approached the former high priest and his eyes locked on Atem as soon as he was within sight. He bowed his head and a slight smile came to his face. He waved them over and Atem did without further prompt, his face full of emotion.

"I can't believe it's you, after all these months..."

"I missed you too, Atem."

Mitsuko coughed and they both turned to her. "Need I remind you that you two are supposed to be rivals, and people are watching?"

Their expressions changed like a light switch and they glared at each other, yet their words remained friendly.

"When did you awaken?"

"When Seto was only twelve, so we're rather close and I know his story almost as well as Mokuba-ototo. It was lucky I wasn't roped into the same thing, since by the time things really got rough, I knew everything he did. Gozaburo just didn't want an heir with dark skin."

"Lucky for you. I've been only been around for the past seven months."

"Seven months? It's amazing that your relationship with Mitsuko-san is still in the fledgling stages."

Atem averted his eyes and mumbled, "It's none of your business, cousin."

Set crossed his arms and grinned. "Oh? Did something happen last night that brought you closer together? You're blushing like a girl!"

Atem's head snapped back into Set's direction. "You're just as bad as Mitsuko sometimes!"

"Maybe that's why we became friends over the course of a day-and-a-half. So you like to tease Atem, too?"

Mitsuko grinned. "Of course, he's too easy."

"Then you should hear of some of the pranks I played on him while he was pharaoh. He fell for each one, hook, line and sinker."

"Really? Do tell."

When Set opened his mouth to begin the first story, Atem was furious they were double teaming him. He shouted, "Don't you _dare_ tell her anything!"

Mitsuko laughed, a devious note to it. "Does poor Atem have an _embarrassing _past? Now I _really _want to know."

Set's grin turned evil as he chuckled. "Oh the stories I can tell about my exploits against him. You'll _love_ every second of it."

Atem glared at them so intensely both of them should've died on the spot.

_I think I've pushed his buttons just enough today. If he exploded, he might be difficult to live with for the rest of the day._ She then placed a hand on Set's arm and playfully scolded, "Now, now, I think that's enough for now. What would we do if he were to spontaneously combust in front of us? Then who would save the world from darkness yet again?"

Set sighed and nodded. "Of course, we wouldn't want to pick up the pieces and explain to the teachers why one of the students exploded."

"One day I'm going to have my revenge on you both for this humiliation," Atem growled, shaking from head to toe in suppressed fury.

He took Mitsuko by the arm and pulled her away. She waved to Set and the two shared a conspiratorial grin.

They now knew how to tease the pharaoh until he lost all composure, and they were going to abuse this knowledge maliciously.

_This is going to be _sooooo_ fun._

* * *

For the rest of the day she "rested", not giving her all in gym, which made the teacher give her a funny look, but when she saw the limp in the younger girl's step, she relented. Set joined in on the game of basketball and found out why the boys kept passing to the girls to shoot. Atem was incensed by his cousin's behavior, covering Mitsuko's rear whenever she leapt for the basket.

When Mitsuko figured out why Atem was always behind her, she blushed and yelled at the boys for being perverts, chasing them around the gym until they all fled into their locker room.

She huffed and flicked her hair over her shoulder. "Geez, boys. Sensei, can we _please_ wear shorts like the boys do so they don't keep peeking at our panties?" _I can't believe _every_ boy in our class now knows that I wear a black lace and silk thong! I'll _kill_ them! Even _Atem_ saw, although he wasn't doing it intentionally! I'll never, ever, _ever_ play basketball again unless the uniform's changed!_

"I'll have to talk to the principal about it, Mutou-chan."

"If the principal doesn't do something about it, then he's a pervert too!"

* * *

What could possibly have happened between Atem and Mitsuko? *winkwink nudgenudge*

If everyone couldn't tell, Mitsuko teases Atem because he has a slow temper and seeing him lose all composure is fun for her. It's supposed to be for humor purposes, thus why I had Set join in. We also see that the couple has made up their differences, but for how long?

*looks away* I'm not giving away _anything_!

I like how she became friends with Mokuba instead of getting into a high-stakes game. I also combined the time Mokuba first appeared with the Death-T chapters, so there you go!

How does everyone like my version of Set? I made him playful...well...later chapters ought to answer that!

Please review!


	8. Chapter 8: Big Surprises For Everyone

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

I thank all my readers and reviewers for supporting me this far! Let's see how everyone reacts to my newest development!

* * *

**Chapter 8: Big Surprises for Everyone**

At the end of the day, when Mitsuko was cooling down from her jog home, Yugi came over to her.

"Hey Yu-nii, I just got back from the gym. Something on your mind?"

"Mi-ne, how did you get so confident and strong?"

She gazed into his eyes and smiled. "I've _always_ been this way, at least, on the inside."

He frowned, irritated by her answer. "Why didn't you _ever _show it before now? You seemed to mirror my attitude, so _everyone_, even Jii-chan, thought we were exactly alike! It wasn't until six months ago that I knew you liked to sing karaoke, work hard for your dreams, could get better grades than me, and even had a hidden personality! _Why_?!"

"It wasn't until Atem came along and everyone wanted me to _stay_ meek and shy that my real self came out to stay," she replied, then lowered her head as she sat down on the couch, controlling her breathing. She then bit her lip and confessed, "I just didn't want to leave you alone to be bullied, since you were too nice to stand up to anyone, and you wouldn't have let me protect you."

"I'm your brother! I should've been the strong one and protected _you_! Why am I so weak?!"

"You let people protect you instead of standing up for yourself. You let the bullies walk all over you. If it wasn't for Anzu during our childhood years, we probably would've had to change schools just to get away from all the people who liked to pick on us. I didn't like that because of our size and quiet personalities, people always targeted us, so I shielded you a little bit by taking some of the abuse. Jonouchi and Honda came along at just the right time to become our friends, and Atem as well. You have to stop having such a passive way of dealing with aggressors. Why do you think I snapped after so long? I got sick and tired of being told what to do."

Yugi clenched his fists and plunked himself down on the couch next to her. "I don't know how to stand up to people unless I'm desperate to protect someone, and that hardly ever happens anymore."

She patted his back. "Maybe you need a remedial course to boost your confidence."

"A remedial course? Like a class?"

"Yeah. I've heard of camps that focus on making you feel better about yourself and getting you stronger physically, too. I'm sure with all the Millennium Item users popping up, the bullies will start using more brutal weapons against us to steal my Millennium Puzzle. We can't have anyone fall behind and get caught by the lackeys. _Everyone_ has to be a fighter, because playing games might not solve everything that comes our way."

Yugi's eyes hardened in determination. "Alright! I have to do this for everyone!"

"No Yu-nii, do it for _you_."

He nodded and she hugged him.

* * *

The rest of the group (save Atem, who'd been told by the twins the same night) was surprised to hear that Yugi was going off to a camp for several months.

"But Yugi! You'll miss school!" Anzu protested.

Jonouchi and Honda shared a look, then shouted, "GO YUGI!"

"_Guys_! Help me out here!"

Mitsuko put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Anzu, this is something he needs to do. Stop being such a mother hen."

"I'm not! He's going to flunk out of our year if he doesn't come to school!"

Yugi shook his head and smiled at his childhood friend. "Anzu, don't worry, I'll be doing online courses to keep up, so I'll be just fine when I get back. I'll miss you too."

Sugoroku placed a hand on his grandson's shoulder. "Come on, we're going to be late."

"Bye guys! I'll write whenever I can!"

"BYE, YUGI!"

* * *

About two months through the time waiting for Yugi to come home Mitsuko found herself getting soggy around the middle as she undressed for bed. She'd been feeling unwell lately, but that hadn't stopped her from slowing her schedule any, yet now she felt exhausted from being on her feet so long at work and from the hard workouts she put herself through to keep in shape.

_What the heck? Why am I gaining weight? I shouldn't be, with my diet and exercise, even if I've let up a little because it's no longer for stress relief._

She winced as she knew something had to be up, so she ran downstairs.

"Jii-chan!" she called, as she came into the abandoned shop (they'd just closed for the night). "I think there's something wrong with me!"

She hugged Sugoroku, who stroked her head to try and calm her. He smiled and asked gently, "What's the fuss about? You look fine to me."

"I'm getting fat even though I'm not sitting around or eating junk food, and I've been feeling really nauseated for a couple months now!"

Pushing her away so he could look at her better, his eyes narrowed as he noticed she _had_ gained weight around her middle that he hadn't noticed until now. He patted her head and soothed, "Now come along, we'll take you to the hospital if you're concerned. Atem!"

* * *

At the hospital, Mitsuko and Sugoroku were shocked when they found out what was "wrong".

She was pregnant.

She was furious as she screeched mentally, /HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?! I'M ONLY _SIXTEEN!_ HAVE YOU NO SENSE OF PROPRIETY, YOU PERVERT?!\

Atem winced at her volume inside his head and didn't look at her, a red hand-shaped mark on his cheek. /As I've told you the last hundred times, I didn't mean for it to end up this way. I was unfamiliar with the modern conveniences which could've prevented such a thing from happening. It wouldn't have mattered had we been in a serious relationship.\\

/"IT WOULDN'T HAVE MATTER HAD WE BEEN IN A SERIOUS RELATIONSHIP", MY BUTT! I WOULD'VE NEVER HAD SEX WITH YOU IF I'D KNOWN THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE DOING WITH ME! YOU KNEW _EXACTLY_ WHAT YOU WERE DOING AND I WAS WONDERING _WHY_ I FELT SO TIRED AND SORE THE NEXT MORNING! I WASN'T GOING TO SLEEP WITH _ANYONE_ EXCEPT MY HUSBAND! WE HAVE HIGH MORAL STANDARDS IN THIS FAMILY, FYI! FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, IF WE'D STILL BEEN FIFTEEN, JII-CHAN WOULD'VE HAD YOU ARRESTED FOR RAPE! YOU'RE LUCKY HE DIDN'T HAVE YOUR HIDE WHEN HE FOUND OUT YOU'D MADE ME _PREGNANT!_\

/I'd appreciate it if you stopped screaming at me for something that happened two months ago.\\

/NO WAY, NO HOW! YOU DESERVE A HEADACHE FOR THIS! IT'S NOT EVEN EQUAL TO THE TORTURE AND HUMILIATION I'M GOING TO FEEL THESE NEXT FIVE MONTHS AT SCHOOL! DO YOU KNOW WHAT PEOPLE WILL SAY WHEN THEY SEE I'M PREGNANT AT SIXTEEN?! I MIGHT HAVE TO _NOT GO_ AND SUFFER THROUGH THIS ALONE!\

/I already feel guilty enough for not courting you properly before you became with child without you biting my head off at every opportunity.\\

She growled and crossed her arms over her stomach, tapping her toe to try and keep herself distracted from railing on him some more for good measure. Sugoroku had already done so when they'd found out. Even now, he was burning holes into the side of the teenage pharaoh's head as he fumed silently.

When the doctor came out and called Mitsuko's name, she stood up and walked over, her grandpa right after her and her boyfriend last. They walked into the room and she sat on paper-lined table, shooting glares at Atem whenever she could.

"Alright, lie down so we can see if the baby's okay, since you haven't had any prenatal care before this."

Mitsuko slid her shirt up to expose her stomach while a nurse gave her some shots she'd needed for her first check-up. She turned to the screen as it was turned on. She gazed at the fuzzy picture until she heard a heartbeat.

"There it is, Mutou-san. See here? That's its head..."

_To think I'm going to be a mom in seven months..._

At that thought, she smiled.

* * *

When Yugi arrived home, Mitsuko was lying on the couch, eight months along. Set was massaging her feet, while Atem's lap was her pillow. She had a wedge of cantaloupe resting atop her stomach, a few bites out of it.

"When did Mi-ne get pregnant?"

Mitsuko was so relaxed that she didn't even turn her head or open her eyes at the sound of her brother's voice. She just yawned and greeted, "Welcome back, Yu-nii."

He came over and Set commented, "You look much more confident and muscular than when I last saw you, Yugi-san. How was camp?"

"It went fine, if you call the torture I went through 'fine'. Where's Jii-chan?"

"He's at the store," Atem answered, stroking his girlfriend's hair. "Mitsuko said she needed more cantaloupe and we'd run out of chocolate ice cream."

Yugi crossed his arms and demanded, "When did Mitsuko get pregnant, Atem?! Were you messing around with her while I was gone?"

Mitsuko waved a hand. "It's all water under the bridge now, Yu-nii, but if you need to know, it was the night after Atem beat Kaiba-kun in that duel."

"You mean... When did you find out?!"

"When I was two months along. I'm eight now, so I've had a lot of time to get used to that I'm going to have kids soon."

"You're having_ twins_?! I can't believe you're so relaxed about this! You're only sixteen!"

"Nope, our birthday was last week, remember? I'm seventeen now. Until about twelve weeks, I thought I was just having one."

Set smirked and murmured to Yugi, "Massaging her feet does wonders for her mood. Believe me, she screamed enough at him the six months after she found out. Sugoroku-san invited me over, since Atem told him how well I could keep Mitsuko-san in a good mood, and she'd almost miscarried because of the stress she had."

Mitsuko opened her eyes and smiled at her twin. "You've really gotten confident and strong since you went to camp. You say it was utter torture?"

"Yeah, I swear it was harder than basic training."

"How would you know?"

"Just a comparison. What's been going on with you being pregnant? Have you been teased a lot at school?"

Atem sighed and shook his head. "Much, _much_ worse. I had to protect her from bullying to death threats. I got an earful from the rest of our friends, too. They're now fiercely protective of her and are at her beck and call, if she needs it."

"Where are they now?"

"Not home from school yet. Mitsuko couldn't sleep at all last night, so I stayed home with her and Set decided to skip just this once to keep her happy and relaxed."

Mitsuko took a bite out of the wedge of melon and growled impotently, "You wouldn't be able to sleep either if you had nightmares of your classmates' constant teasing and with two babies kicking your innards to mush."

Yugi then brightened as she slowly was helped up so she was properly sitting up. "You're huge! How can you even move at all?!"

"Carefully." She winced as her back began to burn again. "Very carefully." She hissed out in agony and Atem held her hands as she allowed it to pass. "Since I'm of short stature, I was told after my fifth month I'd have to be on bed rest, so I've been given maternity leave from school and work. It really, _really_ sucks."

She held her stomach as the babies kept up their constant barrage. Atem stroked any free space left and Yugi asked, "Can I feel?"

"Of course, since you haven't gotten to yet."

Yugi placed a hand on her huge baby bump and his eyes widened at the feel of the babies moving just under her skin. "It feels like they're wrestling in there."

She snorted. "If they are, they've chosen a heck of a time to start. I feel like I haven't slept in weeks."

"Does that mean I woke you when I came in?"

"No, no, I was just relaxing, since I'm hungry."

She soon polished off the wedge of cantaloupe and handed it to Atem. He got up to throw it away, and as soon as his weight left the couch, she shrieked and held her side, which made all three young men stare at her in panic. Atem tossed the rind at the trashcan and cried, "What's wrong?! Are you in labor?!"

She shook her head, tears rolling down her cheeks as she squeezed her eyes shut. "I think...I think I broke a rib!"

Atem nodded to Set, who carefully lifted her up and they both rushed to the back door, Atem on his cellphone calling Mokuba. Yugi, who was confused, followed them.

"You have this all set up?"

Set nodded. "Just in case something like this happens. This is the third rib she's broken in two months."

"So she's still healing from the last two breaks?! How are you letting her move at all?!"

"She's stubborn, you know that."

* * *

In very little time, the limo pulled up and they piled in, Atem holding Mitsuko's hand as she pressed the other to her side.

_This is the worst...pain! Even if I know what a broken rib feels like... There's no exclamation I can put there!_

"Jii-chan, Mitsuko's just broken another rib, so would you come to the hospital? They might make her stay this time. Yes, I know that it's time for that, but you know your granddaughter." Atem rolled his eyes. "Yes, yes, you're blaming this all on me, but how was I supposed to know she'd conceive twins? Runs in the family? That makes me feel so much better." He shook his head and raised a hand. "Just come once you drop the groceries back at home, alright? You don't need to yell at me again over a broken rib."

He hung up the phone and went silent, a miserable look on his face.

/Quit beating yourself up over this. The babies are almost here and I'll be able to heal.\

/Jii-chan just won't forgive me for making you pregnant at so young and that you were threatened at school like you were. I shouldn't let _you_ forgive me for what I've done.\\

/It's happened and almost done. I...\ She shuddered as she felt an ache run through her back and stomach. /I think I'm in labor now.\

/What?!\\

/Didn't you feel that?\

/I thought that was just the pain from your broken rib.\\

/This one's different. As soon as they tape up my rib, I'm going to have to deliver them.\

Atem sighed and announced to the other two, "Mitsuko says she's in labor now, too. I think the pain of the rib breaking finally pushed the twins over the edge."

Set shook his head and Yugi's look of concern was creased onto his face.

"So do you know what you're going to have?"

Mitsuko jerked her head as she tried to shake it, but Atem answered, "She decided that she didn't want to know until they were born."

* * *

They arrived at the hospital and the doctor who had been seeing her clicked his tongue. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. _Another_ rib? You have violent babies, Mutou-san."

"I...I'm also in labor."

"Well then, once I get this wrapped properly, I'll get you to a delivery room."

She nodded and whimpered as he pinned the bandages tight.

"Okay! Let's get you changed and comfortable!"

Everyone there rolled their eyes and moved out of the room.

* * *

For the next five grueling hours, Mitsuko went through the ordeal of giving birth to twins. It was twice as painful because of her broken ribs, but she managed without passing out. She was about to cuss out Atem when they were finally born, but then she saw his face when he held his firstborn, all words died on her tongue.

"I've waited for such a long time for you, do you know that? Over three thousand years to hold you, my beautiful child. You're my heir and are blessed that your mother and I are your parents. I love you, even if I've just met you. Yuto."

The baby boy took after his father in every way, down to the wild hair. He screamed in protest as he struggled within his blankets, before he fell asleep, exhausted.

His brother, on the other hand, took more after his uncle, thus, more like his mother. He didn't cry as much as his brother, he calmed down and was content to look at his mother with crossed violet eyes, clutching at her finger she inserted into his palm. She cooed at him and whispered, "You're going to be best friends with your brother, like I am with mine, right? My Mamoru-chan."

His reaction was to yawn and fall asleep.

_I'm tired too, but I have to deal with everyone else first._

Sugoroku came in to see his twin great-grandsons asleep in their parents' arms and came over to Mitsuko first. "He's just like Yugi when he was a baby, Mi. Can I hold him while you rest?"

"Of course, Jii-chan."

The old man gazed down at the new life with pure love in his eyes. "You know I've loved being your grandpa, Mi, and I'm sure I'll love being a great-grandpa to these little guys." He shot a stern look at Atem. "Make sure these two don't have siblings until after high school."

Atem nodded, handing over Yuto to Yugi, who held his nephew a bit awkwardly. He smiled and looked up at his sister. "I come home, expecting a big welcome, but I never thought I'd be an uncle so soon. Oh, just so you know, our friends are here to see the new babies, too. Should Jii-chan and I go out so you can have a moment alone?"

Mitsuko nodded and closed her eyes, preparing to have a good rest when she could.

"Mitsuko."

"What?"

"Will you marry me when we get out of high school?"

"It depends."

"On what?"

"On whether we can survive the next year going to school, me working and going to the gym, with _twins_."

He swallowed in nervousness, but took her hand. "I'll support you all the way."

* * *

So, once Mitsuko came home from the hospital, she was given a six weeks off further (so her ribs could heal properly), but Atem didn't take a break at all (two weeks for him), which proved to be a mistake, because he often napped during class and collapsed in gym.

When he and Yugi came home after the first day, Mitsuko was feeding Mamoru while Sugoroku was holding a sleeping Yuto. He dropped his backpack and dropped himself on the loveseat next to his girlfriend, closing his eyes.

"I told you to take a break with me, but no, you have to go to school to, and I quote 'get a break from the twins'," she reprimanded as she gently bounced Mamoru to get the feeling back into her arm. "Tell me, Yu-nii, was he falling asleep during class?"

Yugi nodded and chuckled as Atem scowled at him. "He slept through all of lunch, nothing but the bell could wake him." He then frowned. "Are you sure you don't need help? You'd be able to get more sleep that way if I took a turn."

/He's right, you know. You're already exhausted and it's only your first day back to school.\

/I had to stay up countless hours into the night as pharaoh to run my country. How am I not able to cope with the schedules of the twins?\\

/It's because they keep us up _all night_. I nap when I can, which is when the twins are actually sleeping at the same time. Your body can't take the stress of going to school and concentrating almost the full nine hours, so you pass out. Have things improved at all?\

/Unfortunately, no. In fact, it's gotten more vicious. At this rate, we'll have to switch schools.\\

She sighed. /Even with the new and improved Yu-nii?\

/With him in the mix is the reason it _has_ gotten so bad. He stands in the front, right next to me. The stronger our defense of you gets, the fiercer their offense. Now I'm starting to regret ever thinking that laying with you for a single night was a good thing.\\

/We can't do anything about that now, so we might just have to transfer schools if things haven't quieted down by the time I'm well enough to return.\

They both snapped out of their trance when the door to the shop opened and Set called, "Hello up there!"

Mitsuko got up, having had burped Mamoru while she'd been talking to Atem. She called back, "We're here, Set-kun! Come on up!"

There seemed to be a scuffle below and the sound of someone being forced up the stairs followed before Kaiba was shoved into the room, Set and Mokuba behind him. Kaiba crossed his arms, disgruntled as he grumbled, "I can walk myself."

Set grinned and countered, "If that was so, why'd I have to drag you all the way here?"

Mitsuko ran over and hugged the pale brunette around the waist. "Kaiba-kun, you're finally awake!"

He flushed in chagrin and patted her shoulder. "Hello, Mitsuko-san."

Mokuba was almost vibrating in excitement. "I was _so_ happy when Nii-sama woke up this morning!"

Kaiba huffed. "You knocked the wind out of me, Ototo. I think I have a bruise on my stomach."

Set snickered and walked over to Atem, who was almost asleep, his head leaning over until it was hovering just over the arm of the loveseat. He smirked and grabbed his sides, the former pharaoh starting so bad he fell over onto the other side of the short couch. He glared at Set, who was laughing. "Would you _quit_ your antics?! It isn't amusing any longer!"

"You were about to fall asleep, I couldn't have you falling off the couch and bruising your royal crown, could I? I did you a favor."

Atem jumped up and lunged at him, only for him to dodge and the pair ran out of the room. Kaiba snorted and eased himself into the chair Atem had just vacated. "They act like pair of children."

Mokuba plopped down next to him, overcome with giggles. Yugi raised his eyebrows. "I thought so too, until I learned they're cousins. Set-san likes to press Atem's buttons and it usually ends up with them wrestling on the floor somewhere. I think Atem secretly enjoys it, since he hasn't killed Set-san yet."

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Here I thought me being gone would've sobered him up at least some, but no, he's become more infantile. Do I have to be the adult in our family?"

Mokuba sighed and slumped back into the loveseat. "Set-nii-sama knows when to be serious, Nii-sama, he just likes to be a kid around Atem-san, because they never got to play as kids."

Mitsuko settled down next to Sugoroku again, who was silently observing Kaiba. "Maybe he'll teach you to act your age, Kaiba-kun. There's time for work and then there's time for play. You don't give yourself enough time to relax and be a teenager, between raising Mokuba-kun and slaving at KaibaCorp. I'd bet you don't even know how have fun anymore."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed at her blunt comment and then they rested on the twins who were asleep. "You allow yourself too much leeway, if you having twins at seventeen is any clue."

Yugi hissed at the insult and Mokuba punched his brother's arm. Mitsuko kept her calm, although she could've slapped his face for that. _It wouldn't do to get angry, it's what he wants. Why don't you do the opposite? That ought to throw him for a loop._ "Yuto and Mamoru are a happy accident, I've come to accept things as they come—"

"You dare to insult my granddaughter for something she had no fault in?!" Sugoroku snapped as he leapt off the couch, handing Yuto to Yugi. "She deserves no such slight for being a teenage mother! Why I ought to—"

"Jii-chan! _You_ calm yourself!" Mitsuko ordered as she placed a hand on his arm. "You know the doctor said it's bad for your blood pressure! Now sit down and be quiet!"

Sugoroku took her scolding quietly and sat down, crossing his arms and closing his eyes. "You're right, Mi."

She nodded and turned to Kaiba, who was smirking at the old man's reaction. She knew exactly how she could have her revenge. She stood and asked sweetly, "Do you want to hold Mamoru?"

He stiffened immediately and shouted, "Are you _crazy_?! Kaiba Seto doesn't hold _babies_!"

Mokuba coughed back a laugh and teased, "Holding a baby isn't so bad, Nii-sama. Even _I've_ held Mamoru-chan."

Mamoru, who'd been close enough to hear Kaiba's yelling, woke and started crying. Mitsuko held him out. "Take him and calm him down. You made him cry."

With a look of disgust, he took the wailing infant and winced when Mamoru didn't calm immediately. A loud thud came from the direction of the bedrooms and she smirked as she ran into the hallway.

"**Set-kun! Atem! Don't break anything with your roughhousing!**" she called in Ancient Egyptian, putting her hands on her hips as she found them in Atem's room.

Set was sitting on top of Atem, his wrists in one hand and the other was mussing his hair. It was then that Atem heard Mamoru crying. He strained to get up, when Mitsuko held up a hand.

"**Let Kaiba-kun handle it, I think he's **_**enjoying**_** it.**"

Set grinned and gave his cousin a hard nuggie. "Give up yet? Say 'uncle'!"

Atem shook his head. "I'll _never _lose to you, Set!"

"Oh come now, you'll _never_ get out of this position unless Mitsuko-san decides to help out, and judging by her face, she's willing to watch you lose painfully."

"I can always think of something without outside help!"

Mitsuko's smirk spread into an evil grin. "Make him _scream_, Set-kun."

Set brought out his secret weapon, which drew out an unmanly shriek from the pharaoh. Atem was able to squirm his way out from underneath his cousin and fled to the bathroom to disinfect his face. Mitsuko broke out in uncontrolled giggles and shared a high-five with Set while they listened to the Ancient Egyptian curses coming from the bathroom. She shook her head and thought, _Another victory for Set. If Atem keeps losing like this, he's going to have a reputation of having a weakness against his cousin's hilarious, if not immature, tactics. _She heard Mamoru screaming for her and shook her head. _If only Mamoru would get used to other people holding him._ "I think we'd better rescue Kaiba-kun before he faints from the stress."

When they entered the living room again, everyone was laughing at Atem's scream and flight to the bathroom, save Kaiba, who was so pale from trying to calm the baby down, he looked to lose consciousness any minute. Mitsuko took pity on him and scooped her baby up, who instantly calmed at the feel of familiar arms holding him.

"I thought I was going to die..." Kaiba wheezed, shivering as he folded his arms shakily.

"Oh stop it, it wasn't that bad. Unlucky for you, Mamoru only likes me. If you'd held Yuto instead, he would've been just fine once you'd relaxed. Mamoru's a good baby, but _only_ in my arms. He doesn't even like Atem. Yuto's a good baby all around, letting anybody hold him without complaint. You keep up your attitude about not liking kids, you'll be a horrible dad when you have them."

He gave her a cold glare, which she brushed off easily.

Atem emerged from the bathroom, blotting his face with a towel. "Don't you _ever_ do that again Set, even with Mitsuko's permission!"

That set off the chuckles and giggles yet again, even Kaiba smirked and mocked, "What'd he do Damiri, lick your face?"

"You should know by now that my name isn't Damiri, it's _Atem_, and no, he didn't lick my face, he _drooled in my ear and down my cheek into my mouth._"

"EEEEWWWW!" Mokuba and Yugi shouted at the same time, shuddering. The dark-haired fourteen-year-old gave his adopted brother a squeamish look. "_You _did that, Set-nii-sama?! You're _disgusting_!"

Set grinned with a shrug. "He wouldn't give up when I'd clearly had him pinned. That's what cousins do. I would've done it when we were children in the ancient past, so why not now?"

"You'd do that to _me_ if we were wrestling?"

"It's different when we play, Mokuba-ototo."

Atem suddenly noticed that Mitsuko had been moving around as usual. "_What_ did the doctor say?" he scolded, guiding her back to the couch. "_Stay. Still._ I don't care if you're not in pain because of the drugs he provided for you, _stay down_ or I'm going to make you stay in bed."

Mitsuko scowled and held her side with one arm while the other cradled her newborn son. "I'm walking slowly, what more do you want? I have to move around or I'll _never_ get off the baby fat."

Kaiba watched her actions and raised his eyebrows. "Did you crack a rib from falling?"

She shook her head. "I broke three of them because these two wouldn't stop kicking so hard. One's healed already, the other two are just barely beginning, even with a week in the hospital. You wouldn't believe how much more it _hurt_ to give birth naturally when each push moved my damaged ribs. Breathing was like being burned with a pair of hot pokers. If I can help it, I'm _never, ever, ever_ having twins again."

Yugi sighed and rubbed his forehead as Atem settled down next to him. "I'm thankful I wasn't born a girl like you, Mi-ne. I don't think I could handle pain like you do."

Mitsuko shrugged and smiled down at Mamoru, who was slowly falling back asleep. "What'd you expect? I've trained my body for months before I got pregnant, so things were easier to handle than if I'd stayed out of shape."

Atem smoothed his mussed hair down and almost the instant he stopped, he dropped onto the arm of the couch, fast asleep. Set grinned deviously, but Mitsuko raised a hand. "Let him sleep, would you? Today's been hard on him, since he hardly slept last night."

Set pouted as he leaned against the back of the couch by her shoulder. "You're no fun."

"I _let _you have your fun. Now leave him alone."

Kaiba snorted and shook his head. "He can't handle one all-nighter? What a weakling."

Mitsuko rolled her eyes. "Have _you_ pulled an all-nighter while taking care of twin newborns, _then_ went to school the next day, _without_ coffee or an energy drink to keep you awake? I'll give you another factor: I couldn't get up from bed, so he had to bring both babies to me so I could feed them, and he had to change all the diapers _himself_. If he insisted on me being in bed all the time, Jii-chan wouldn't have had my help today with taking care of them. Sure I could've caught up on sleep, but I'm not selfish, even when injured. They're _my_ sons too, not just his."

"I appreciated the help Mi," Sugoroku chimed with a pat to her shoulder. "With Yugi and me to help you two, you should get used to their schedules in no time at all."

* * *

Set/Atem silliness! I love it! For those of you who didn't like the time-skip in the middle, well...I couldn't really think of a day-to-day or even month-to-month thing to do with Mitsuko's pregnancy, sorry!

How does everyone like how I made Yugi? With him as a side character instead of the main, it was mentioned to me that he would have to go to "man camp" to get the guts and strength to match his sister.

Did anyone notice something..._odd_ about Kaiba's reaction to Mitsuko's greeting?

Please review!


	9. Chapter 9: Goodbye, Domino High

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Things get crazy here, so...I hope you all can forgive me if in some parts I don't put all the details I can, or else I'd have to make this M-rated, and I don't want to do that!

Here's the next chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 9: Goodbye, Domino High, Hello New School**

After six weeks, Mitsuko joined her boyfriend and brother as they walked to school, her ribs feeling just fine, although they were still wrapped, just in case. A doctor's note had been sent so she wouldn't aggravate her newly-healed broken bones in gym, but she _was_ going to exercise, since she hadn't had much time before school to do so, although she was eating healthy and had shed a few pounds. Her school uniform was a little tight because of her extra weight, but she would grin and bear it, no matter what it took.

By the time they reached the school gates, the rest of the gang had joined them, Anzu fluttering over her for a moment as she walked.

"I'm _fine_, Anzu. I just need to take it easy for another week until the doctor's _positive_ that my ribs are healed. So stop with the hovering."

Anzu frowned. "I'm just concerned about you! You _were_ laid up for such a long time and had to give birth with broken ribs!"

"Atem! I'm HEEEEEEEERRRRRE!"

Atem groaned and dropped his face into his hand, rubbing his eyes and forehead. "Ever since he started coming to school with Kaiba, the mornings are _always_ the same routine—GET OFF, SET!"

Set had grabbed Atem in a headlock and started giving him a hard nuggie, the shorter teen's feet leaving the ground. "MORNING, ATEM! Isn't it a beautiful day?"

"Let go! Do you know how long it takes for me to make sure my hair's smooth?!"

"You're Miss Priss, aren't you? Quit being so picky about how your hair looks!"

Mitsuko snickered and that caught the attention of the tall Egyptian. "Mitsuko-chan! You're finally back!" He dropped Atem on his feet and threw her up into his chest, hugging her in a bone-crushing embrace. "I missed you at school!"

"You visit every afternoon until dinner, Set-kun. Put me down."

"Why're you being such a heavy right now?"

"You're squeezing me so hard it's hurting."

He put her down and mussed her hair, not that she cared if he did, her hair was messy on purpose. "Sorry! I get soooo excited when I find you're well enough to come back to school! How's Yuto and Mamoru?"

"Yuto's trying to lift his head up while Mamoru's rolling around on the floor, cooing at his success. Despite being the first born, Yuto's progressing slower than his brother, but I'm sure both of them will be sitting up and crawling in a few months. They're still a little small for babies, but they're catching up," she answered with a warm smile.

"You're sure taking this better than any other teenage mother would."

"Of course I am. Most girls are alone through the whole process, but I have my family and friends supporting me throughout this and will be when I have another child."

"As well they should," Kaiba stated as he headed for the gate. "Quit standing around, you're all going to be late for class."

Everyone hurried after him, Atem and Yugi staying close to her sides so she wouldn't see the cold looks the other students were giving her.

They settled in their seats, only for a paper plane to hit her in the head. She frowned at it, but opened it anyways.

_**YOU SHOULD GO TO THE RED LIGHT DISTRICT WHERE YOU BELONG, WHORE!**_

Atem plucked it from her hands just as she'd glanced at the words, tearing it in tiny pieces. She huffed and shook her head, only for a wad of paper to hit her in the forehead. She smoothed it out and scowled.

_**You stole Atem away! You **_**seduced**_** him into making you pregnant! UGLY BITCH!**_

He did the same thing to this note, and the teacher walked in, taking roll. A girl she didn't know raised her hand in the middle.

"Yes?"

"Isn't it against school rules to hold a job while in attendance here?"

"Of course. Do you know someone who's breaking this rule?"

"Isn't it _obvious_? _Mitsuko's_ been working after school as a prostitute."

Most of the class laughed at that as the teacher scolded, "That was uncalled for! Mutou-chan has done no such thing!"

Mitsuko's eyes narrowed at the girl. _How low can you get to try and lower my self-esteem? It's not working, self-centered bitch._

"Then how come she got pregnant when she was only sixteen?" another girl pointed out. "She's been in other guys' pants!"

"I'll bet she's riddled with disease!"

"She's got to be the mother of _Kaiba's_ kid, not Atem-kun's, which is why he was absent from school for so long!"

At this one, she heard a pencil snap, seeing Kaiba glare at the girl who'd sneered the insult. Set growled out loud and hissed, "That's not true! Seto's been in a coma for nine months!"

"Pretty good for someone's who's been in a coma to come to school the next day looking completely healthy! He's been hiding from everyone so he wouldn't be found out!"

"He's _ashamed _that Mitsuko seduced him!"

_Now they're bringing _Kaiba-kun_ into this? What kind of idiots are they? Kaiba-kun and I are just friends! And what's this about me _seducing_ him?!_

"I heard that she's been visiting the Kaiba Mansion throughout her pregnancy!"

_Well duh! I was visiting my good friend who was under the weather!_

"I'll bet she's after his money, so she can live the easy life!"

"What other way than get knocked up with his kid and making sure he marries her after they graduate?"

/OH, THAT'S IT! ATEM, PENALTY GAME THEIR SORRY ASSES!\

/With pleasure.\\

All the people who had even _thought_ poisonous things against her, Atem or Kaiba, dropped forward onto their desks, their dark hearts having been shattered, just as Kaiba's had been almost eleven months before. Most, if not all the teenagers in the class had this reaction, the innocent students shrieking in fear at the event, none having seen the gold udjat appear on Atem's forehead.

Set's eyes narrowed as he glanced at Atem, but when he saw identical fury in both his and Mitsuko's eyes, he acted confused just like the others.

The teacher, who was now in a panic about what to do, began babbling about how everyone should calm down, looked up in hope when Set raised his hand.

"Sensei, I think we should call all the teachers and the school nurse in to check this out."

"O-of course! Would you do that, Damiri-san?"

The tanned brunette nodded and hurried out (he'd claimed to be a distant cousin of Atem's, through their great-grandfathers).

"Th-the rest of you, study hall, go to the cafeteria!"

"Yes, sensei!" the remaining members of the class replied in unison and got out of their seats, going to the cafeteria to wait out the extraction of the comatose students.

The group of seven sat at one table, Kaiba nearby reading a book, murmuring about the incident.

"What do you think just happened?" Yugi asked, nervous as some of his fellow classmates. "It was kinda like what happened to Kaiba-kun when he lost to Atem-kun."

Jonouchi shook his head. "It was freaky, though. One second everyone's accusing Mitsuko being with Kaiba, and then more than half the class drops onto their desks like they're dead."

Honda shivered and shook his head hard. "Whatever happened, it wasn't natural. This kind of stuff always happens whenever Mitsuko or one of us is in trouble, but it's usually Mitsuko."

Anzu then whispered, "Do you think it has something to do with the Millennium Puzzle around her neck? It's _supposed_ to be a magical artifact from Ancient Egypt, after all. Atem-kun, Set-san, you're both from Egypt, what do you think about this?"

Set shrugged. "How would I know? The Millennium Puzzle's just an old pendant to me."

Atem looked thoughtful before he lied, "What would the Millennium Puzzle have to do with me? Just because I'm from Egypt doesn't mean I know about the mystery that surrounds it."

Although the Mutou and Kaiba families knew the truth, they hadn't extended the same courtesy to anyone outside their immediate blood. Set had convinced Kaiba to carry the Millennium Rod with him, just in case he was threatened again with Shadow Magic, although not in those exact words.

"You think they'll have to close the school until this is solved?" Yugi asked worriedly, having just been back for less than a couple months.

Mitsuko frowned. "Who cares? I'm not staying here only to catch Hell whenever I attend class. Rumors like that have spread all over school and it's not going to let up as long as I'm here. I'm going to have Jii-chan ask for a transfer to another school."

"Wouldn't that be running, Mi-ne?"

She shot to her feet, face full of anger. "So what if it's running, Yu-nii?! I'm not staying in a stressful environment for the rest of the year! No one knows how to mind their own business in this stupid school! Just because I got pregnant at sixteen doesn't mean everyone has the right to mock me! They even brought Kaiba-kun into it because I visited him after school every week to check to see if he'd woken from his coma, like a good friend would! They said I WAS A WHORE WHO'D GOTTEN INTO HIS PANTS TO GET HIS MONEY! AM I THAT KIND OF PERSON, TO SLEEP WITH EVERY BOY WHO'LL PAY FOR IT?! I WAS HARDLY OLD ENOUGH TO GET MARRIED WITH A PARENT OR GUARDIAN'S CONSENT!" She slammed her hands on the table. "I DON'T WANT TO BE JUDGED LIKE THAT ANYMORE!"

Her yells echoed throughout the lunchroom. Anzu laid a hand on her arm. "Mitsu—"

"If you're going to say something, _don't _coddle me."

"No, I was going to say that I'm going to ask my parents for a transfer, too. I don't want you to be alone in a new school."

Yugi put an arm around her. "Me too, Mi-ne."

Atem nodded. "I'm fed up with this school as well."

Jonouchi and Honda nodded their agreement as well.

Set grinned. "You can't leave me behind to deal with this mess, and Seto's coming too, by default."

Kaiba glared at him. "Who said I want to transfer schools in the end of my junior year?"

"You'd be bored without Atem or me around to have fun with."

"You sound like I seek you two out because I enjoy your company."

"Come on, you want to come, you know you do."

Kaiba snorted and closed his book. "_Only_ because I don't want you to annoy me about it later."

* * *

So, by the end of the week, all of them transferred to a high school across town called Sanzen High School. Mitsuko smiled at her black knee-length pleated skirt, white dress shirt, and a pastel blue jacket which had a matching black ribbon around her neck. _The skirt'll keep the boys from peeking under it, unlike the tiny skirt in Domino High. I hope things will come out for the best here._

As she stepped out of her room, she heard a faint wail come from the living room. She sighed and headed over, only to hear a second join the first. _Always together._ She entered the room and went to the crib where both her sons were crying for her attention. She picked up Yuto first and unbuttoned her jacket, then blouse, sliding down one strap of her maternity bra to let him nurse. She always breastfed them when she could, since it relieved the discomfort she felt whenever she didn't have the time that day.

Atem was right behind her, picking up Mamoru, who protested even further because he wanted to be held by his mother, but quieted when Atem put a bottle in his mouth. "I see you're ready, but have you eaten breakfast?"

"You know I always eat breakfast first so I can give enough nutrients to the twins when they nurse in the morning. By the way, the new uniform looks good on you."

The boys' uniform was similar to the girls' save for black slacks and a thinner ribbon tied around the collar. The former pharaoh smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Thank you for the compliment."

As she fixed her shirt and jacket, Yugi came in and urged, "Come on guys! We can't be late for our first day at our new school!"

They followed him out and took the bus to their new school.

* * *

The principal gave the group a firm look. "I expect you all to be top students and no trouble with any of the others, given the reputation of Domino High. Judging by past grades, Damiri Set, Kaiba Seto and Mutou Mitsuko will be in class 2-A, Damiri Atem and Mazaki Anzu will be in class 2-B, and Honda Hiroto, Jonouchi Katsuya and Mutou Yugi will be in class 2-D."

They took their schedules and once they got out of the principal's office, Honda growled, "This blows, us being in three different classes? We'll hardly see each other!"

"We can always meet up at lunch and after school," Yugi reassured him.

"But Yugi!" Jonouchi protested. "We've always had classes together at Domino High!"

"That was a school with lower standards," Mitsuko put in. "We're lucky all of us passed the entrance exam earlier this week. I heard Yu-nii, Jonouchi-kun and Honda-kun just scraped by."

Yugi scratched the back of his head. "I didn't think it would be so hard…"

"You have to study harder instead of just playing games all the time, or else you'll never get into college!"

They arrived at classroom 2-A and the rest of her friends waved goodbye as Mitsuko, Set and Kaiba stepped in.

"Hey look! It's Kaiba Seto!"

"Oh yeah!"

"I didn't think the rumors were true that he'd transferred here!"

"Kaiba Seto? Who's that next to him?"

"His twin brother?"

"Who's the cute girl in front of them?"

"I dunno, I'm sure she'll introduce herself when class starts."

"Domino High's where all the new kids are from, right?"

"Yeah."

"I heard that place has gotten pretty ghetto in the past year. I wonder why it took them so long to snap and get out of that place."

All the students fell silent when the teacher walked in. "Class, we have three new transfer students today. Please introduce yourselves by where you've been placed in the class by last name."

Set stood up first. "I'm Damiri Set."

When he sat down, Kaiba got up, in the middle of the classroom. "Kaiba Seto."

Mitsuko, who was in the second-to-last row, rose from her seat. "I'm Mutou Mitsuko, nice to meet you all."

She sat down and crossed her legs, as the teacher nodded to the three of them. "Thank you. I'll start homeroom now, if you would please open your textbooks."

* * *

At lunch, a few girls and quite a few guys came over to her. She blinked at the attention as one girl asked, "Mutou-san, are you going to be here until the end of your senior year?"

She placed her textbooks into her bag. "Of course, I was going to finish my schooling at Domino, but things went downhill very quickly at the start of my junior year, and Jii-chan didn't want that for me or my twin brother."

"Do you know what happened?" another girl asked. "I heard that bullying's increased and fights have broken out over there."

"Both those things, to an extreme I wouldn't doubt that there will be more transfers to other high schools around here."

One of the boys decided that talk of how terrible things were at Domino High was boring, so he cut in. "Hey Mutou-san, are you dating anyone right now?"

She flushed as she thought, _What if Atem says that he's a father to all the girls who hit on him? No, he wouldn't, he's not that stupid._ She composed herself and looked properly ashamed. "I'm sorry, I am."

All the boys who'd come over to talk to her looked disappointed. "Is it someone from a different school?" the same boy asked, hanging on to that thread of hope.

"No, he transferred at the same time I did. He's in class 2-B."

"Oh man! Who is this guy? He's got to be awesome to date a cute girl like you!"

As she was about to answer, Set got up from his seat and ran over to the door. "Atem! You're finally here!"

Everyone's heads turned as the taller Egyptian teen hugged the much smaller one. Atem pushed at his cousin and muttered, "Let go, Set. People are staring."

Set pouted, but nodded, grinning at his cousin as they settled down in two desks to play some cards.

"That's him."

"You mean the one Damiri-san just shamelessly hugged?"

"Yeah."

"What's with Damiri-san's sudden change in demeanor? He didn't act that way in class."

Mitsuko giggled. "Set-kun's _always_ happy to see Atem, even if it's been a few hours to several years."

"Why?" one of the other boys asked, eyebrows raised. "Does he…swing that way?"

She shook her head, an amused smile touching her lips. "If he did, I would've kicked his butt long ago. They're cousins who haven't seen each other since they were little kids. They barely met up again about a year ago, so Set-kun's overly affectionate because he thinks this is going to be just a temporary reunion and wants to enjoy it as long as he can."

"Is that Duel Monsters they're playing?! Wow, that's cool! You'd think one of them would play with us?"

She took out her deck and began shuffling it. "I'm game if anyone wants to duel me."

* * *

At the final bell, one of the boys who'd wanted to duel her handed her a flier. "This is our after school dueling club, if you wanted to join."

She smiled and asked, "Can I bring some of my friends with me?"

"If they're anything like you, why not?"

She nodded and ran to Classroom 2-D. "Yu-nii! Jonouchi-kun! Honda-kun! I found a club we can all join!"

* * *

Time passed and they'd finished their junior year in no time at all, and were halfway through their senior year when a new transfer student came into Class 3-A. Yugi, Jonouchi and Honda had worked hard and were now in Class 3-B with Anzu and Atem, while Mitsuko and Kaiba were the leaders of their class (Mitsuko from hard work and Kaiba because he was a genius).

She'd taken to wearing her hair in a ponytail to keep her hair out of her face, so she could see quite well when the new arrival entered the classroom. He was pale as a sheet, with hair to match, although his eyes were a light blue like the sky. What alerted her right away was what hung around his neck.

_Another Millennium Item wielder? This one's the Millennium Ring… Could he be the reincarnation of another priest, or…an enemy?_

What surprised her was that he noticed her right off and he smiled as he came over. "Hi, I'm Bakura Ryo."

She bowed her head and replied, "Hi, Bakura-san, it's nice to meet you. I'm Mutou Mitsuko."

"Mutou Mitsuko…it's cute. May I sit next to you until class begins?"

Over Bakura's shoulder, she spotted Set and Kaiba staring at him, their eyes narrowed and suspicious frowns on their faces. _They must know more than me, because I can't contact Atem without Bakura-san noticing._ _What should I do? _Mentally she shook herself. _Act normal! That's the best way of throwing off any suspicion!_

"May I call you Mitsuko-san?"

She jerked and shook her head. "No, only my friends call me by my first name. I'm in a relationship, so don't try flirting with me."

He chuckled and shook his head as well. "No, no, I just wanted to be on friendly terms with you, Mutou-san. I'm new here, so I wanted to make some friends while I was here."

"Oh? You sound like you're going to leave soon."

An uneasy look came to his features as he looked away, only for it to be replaced by the friendly look again. "I have no plans of leaving for a while, just that I had to transfer because of some trouble…"

_Was he _in_ trouble or he _was_ the trouble? Sounds like a Millennium Item holder's story to me. _"Bakura-san, that necklace…"

He flinched as she reached for it, yanking it out of her reach. "I've had it ever since I was young when my father gave it to me!"

_An heirloom, like Kaiba-kun's…or maybe a gift? Why is he so defensive of it? By his eyes, he's _scared_ of me touching it._ "Is there something wrong with me touching it, Bakura-san?"

He shivered and then relaxed, letting the pendant drop onto his chest again. "I'm sorry, it's a knee-jerk reaction I have. Here, you can look at it. Can I look at yours?"

She nodded and both kept a watchful eye on the other. _It _is_ the Millennium Ring! I feel dark magic like Atem's from it…maybe even darker, from how it's giving me the chills. Bakura-san is switching from friendly to deer-in-the-headlights scared too quickly for it to be normal. Perhaps…it has something to do with the _true_ wielder of this Item… I get a feeling we'll be having trouble from this guy, judging by how Bakura-san reacts. He's mentally unstable to the point where he can't keep a façade, even for school, almost like an abused puppy. He wants to be good, but he can't control the unconscious reactions he has to certain subjects._ "Bakura-san, this is curiously like mine. Could it be from Egypt?"

He nodded, the friendly smile back. "Yes, it is. How it came to me is a mystery, since it's been passed down for several generations in my family. Is your story the same?"

She shook her head. "Jii-chan's had it in his storeroom for as long as I can remember, until my brother and I decided to try and put it together. We took turns until I finally was able to solve it. I've worn it ever since."

They traded pendants back and put them on, Bakura running a finger along the side of the Puzzle. "It's a very mysterious thing that you happen to solve it, instead of your brother. What do you think could've happened if your brother had been the fated one?"

"Bakura-san, you're acting weird. Have you been reading too many fantasy novels in your free time?"

He laughed and recovered from his hiccup. "People have said I'm a little weird, perhaps it's from my overactive imagination."

She smiled. "I think everyone is a bit weird at times."

They laughed together as the teacher called, "Class has begun, everyone in your seats!"

Bakura placed a paper in her hand. "I'd like you and your brother to come to my apartment this afternoon, to talk some more. If you have any friends, bring them."

"Why?"

"Do you like games?"

"How'd you know that?"

He nodded to her duel deck which was tucked in a side pocket of her backpack. "I have a game named 'Monster World' that requires more than two players. I haven't played a friendly game with anyone in a while, so I'd be pleased if you'd come."

He got up and walked to his seat, which was near the front of the class in the first row.

_He's sure confusing. I wonder what Atem'll think about this._

* * *

Everyone was busy until after school, where Mitsuko brought it up. Yugi grinned at the thought of playing a role-playing game, Anzu, Honda and Jonouchi just as ecstatic. But they all got wary when Atem cradled his chin in thought.

"Mitsuko, you did say he wore the Millennium Ring, we could be facing a powerful enemy if he's awakened Thief King Bakura."

Set nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. He was our most dangerous foe back in Ancient Egypt, and that boy is a gentler version of him. If the rest of you go, I'm going too, just to make sure nothing funny happens during this game."

Kaiba snorted and crossed his arms. "Just because winter vacation's started doesn't mean we have time to goof off. We have midterms to study for, not stepping into what is most definitely a trap."

"How do you know?!" Jonouchi demanded. "There's a big 'if'! I say we go and see what's going on with this Bakura guy!"

Atem looked at Mitsuko, who frowned. He nodded and said, "We'll go, but if anything untoward happens, we'll make a hasty retreat. I don't want anyone getting hurt."

_More like dying, if he's as dangerous as Set-kun says. I don't want to get on his bad side._

* * *

Bakura beamed when he opened the door. "Thanks for coming! Come in, everyone!"

/Mitsuko, I want you to make an excuse to go to the bathroom and search the apartment. If you find anything suspicious, tell me right away.\\

/Okay, Atem.\ "Bakura-san, I need to use the restroom, you guys go on ahead without me."

Bakura nodded. "Alright. Come over here, guys, I have a game set up already."

She walked down the hallway connecting the main room to the bedroom and bathroom, checking the bathroom first, thankfully finding nothing out of place. She then silently opened the door to the bedroom. The lights were out, the curtains drawn, so it was pitch black inside. She tried the light switch, but it didn't work, no matter how often she flipped it. She allowed her eyes to adjust, not that that did much. _Maybe it's broken, or the light bulb is burnt out. Nothing out of the ordinary._

It was then she was grabbed from the front and a voice murmured, "You even make a single noise, your throat will be pouring out its lifeblood before you can muster another."

She gave a slight nod, only to get dragged further into the dark room, the door shut behind her. She was gagged and then her wrists were bound above her head and ankles were tied to the floor. She squeezed her eyes shut before the voice hissed, "You even _think_ about contacting the Pharaoh, you're dead, and so is that pipsqueak of a brother you have."

Her mind went blank with terror as she trembled, tears coming to her eyes, even if her captor hadn't even touched her since tying her up. Silence reigned for several minutes as she had her silent freak out, before she began relaxing, only for the voice to purr, "No wonder the Pharaoh chose to keep you. Such a pretty woman, even if you are small. No wonder he looked forward to the prophecy which foretold of him having a wife in his second life. How I've waited to get my hands on you…"

A soft touch came to her head, before a sharp edge grazed her scalp. She whimpered, only to feel cool air touch her head. She couldn't even think about what had just happened to her, although within her panicked emotions, she knew he'd just sliced off a good portion of her hair.

"Pretty hair…so pretty. Like silk, the finest silk ever spun. These colors, just like the Pharaoh's, make it all the prettier as I hold it…"

This had to be Thief King Bakura, it had to be. Only _he _would be psycho enough to capture her when Atem was just in the other room. She'd blocked out all her emotions the instant she'd been threatened, so she was lost in sick fear without anyone to help her.

He got rid of all her hair, which she had painstakingly grown past her shoulders, before he breathed, "Such perfect breasts, he must _love_ touching them…"

With a millisecond's resistance, her clothes were sliced open from the front, and she screamed at the slow agony of a blade cutting through her flesh. It doubled as he cut again, blood pouring down her stomach, to drip down between her legs.

"Ah…the finale! I won't be using such a fine instrument for that. Even when the Pharaoh enjoyed himself as he laid with you, let's see him try after this."

Something thick and full of sharp points entered her most private of places, her shrieks hardly whispers as it twisted and probed deep, before tearing its way back out. More blood poured down her thighs, and she hung from her hands, no longer able to keep herself upright on her own.

A couple quick slices to her cheeks finished up his work, and he untied her. He chuckled under his breath as he lifted her, carrying her out of the room, letting her see him for the first time. He was not a small man, messy white hair falling to his shoulders, indigo eyes alight with perverse pleasure at what he'd done to her, an insane grin and grisly scar on his cheek completing the "I've gone bat-crap crazy" look. She turned her head to their destination, just as Jonouchi shouted in displeasure, "Oh man! You _must_ be cheating, Bakura-san! How could you kill my character with a few low-level monsters?!"

Ryou chuckled, a much lighter sound than his former incarnation's chuckle. "Perhaps you need to practice your tactics, Jonouchi-san."

Mitsuko almost cried at how her friends were oblivious to what had just happened to her. She knew that this was an ambush, so she _had_ to warn Atem! /Atem, behind you!\

The Pharaoh whirled around in his seat, just as Bakura entered the living room. He spotted her right away, and all the blood which was dripping to the carpet. Horror came to his face as he stood up, shouted, "BAKURA! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

Bakura threw his head back and laughed, which made the rest of the group turn to stare, equal looks of horror on their faces. Ryou whimpered and shook his head. "Not again! NOT AGAIN!"

Yugi instantly rushed at the white-haired Egyptian, fists out. "Damn you, Bakura! How dare you hurt my sister!"

Jonouchi grabbed him from behind, even as he struggled to get free. "Don't do it, man! You're gonna get pummeled!"

Set's eyes narrowed and he looked to his cousin, who nodded. "The Pharaoh and I challenge you to a Shadow Game!"

Bakura chuckled and grinned. "No need for that just yet, you don't want your queen to die from blood loss, do you, my Pharaoh?"

He dropped Mitsuko to the ground and vanished within the Shadow Realm.

"I'll be back another day to challenge you, just you wait!"

Atem and Yugi rushed to her side as Anzu called for an ambulance. Her vision went fuzzy before she blacked out.

* * *

I think you can guess that Mitsuko has just been permanently mutilated...in more ways than one. *winces* I hate to do it, but it's important to the plot.

Bakura's one psycho son of a bitch. It makes all the other villains seem like harmless kittens, right?

Them transferring to a different school wasn't something I planned, but I think it turned out well, and I like the girls' uniforms better than the ones at Domino High, personally. Then again, it's my own aesthetic. At least they were better than the Season Zero uniforms. Those made me want to retch.

Please review!


	10. Chapter 10: Not All Wounds Heal

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh doesn't belong to me!

Thanks for everyone for their reviews!

Oh, for the unknown reviewer: I'm glad you find the scene with Set and Atem so amusing! :D

Here's the last chapter guys! Look forward to the sequel!

* * *

**Chapter 10: Not All Wounds Heal**

After a lengthy stay at the hospital, Mitsuko was allowed back home, her hair growing back slowly. She'd had to take it easy for a while at home until she was healed mentally from the experience. Her nether regions had taken the longest to heal, but they were heavily scarred, as was her chest. Her cheeks only had the lightest of scars.

Atem hadn't spoken to her since the incident, which troubled her. He'd actually cut off all contact and had taken to wearing the Millennium Puzzle.

"Finally home again!" Sugoroku announced as Mitsuko stepped inside, smiling at the sight of home.

"I spend far too much time at the hospital these days," she mourned playfully, which Yugi laughed at.

"We'll have to make sure you'll stay out of it so you can graduate with the rest of us! It's next week, after all!"

"I've been keeping up with my schoolwork, so I have nothing to worry about!"

The pair of eighteen-year-olds followed their grandparent up to the living area, Mitsuko sitting down on the couch and asking, "Where's Atem?"

"He's at Kaiba's place, sleeping over. He's taken to doing that since you had to go to the hospital," Yugi answered, his face troubled. "I tried to get him to come over here today, since you were being released, but he hung up on me."

_What's going on with him? I hope he comes to his senses after graduation, we're getting married a month after. I hope he isn't getting cold feet, when this is what he's wanted all along._

Sugoroku patted her back gently. "We'll get you settled back into your room where you can relax, Mi. Come on, easy does it."

"I'm just fine, Jii-chan. Why do you think I'm staying home until graduation? I can relax just fine right here."

"Alright, just wait here while I make dinner."

Yugi sat next to his sister and sighed. "I can't believe you're going to get married next month, after all the trouble you and Atem had to go through to get this far."

Mitsuko felt a tug on her sock and looked down. She beamed and cooed, "Hi, Mamoru! You're crawling already, when did that happen?"

Yuto joined his brother at their mom's feet and smiled at her. She bent down and picked them up, kissing their cheeks and holding them close. "Yuto, too! I missed you while I was at the hospital! Were you good for Yu-nii and Jii-chan? Were you?"

Mamoru giggled and Yuto contentedly cuddled with his mom.

"They really missed you too, especially with Atem gone. They've been crying a lot at night because of his absence. I hope they feel better, now that you're here to love and take care of them."

She held her babies close and murmured, "Is Atem depressed? He didn't give me back the Millennium Puzzle when he visited me at the hospital that once, so I can't talk to him."

"I think he is, from what's happened to you right under his nose. I hope he doesn't doubt his ability to protect you."

"I hope he comes to graduation, so I can see how he's doing."

"He has to, he's graduating too."

* * *

A week later, Mitsuko and Yugi stood next to each other in the group of students, as they threw their hats in the air.

She caught hers and made a beeline to Atem, who was next to Set. She gasped when he reached her first and pulled her to the side.

"Mitsuko, I've been thinking all this time you've been recovering."

"Thinking too much can hurt your brain, you know," she joked, only for him to shake her.

"I'm being serious!" he snapped, eyes angry. "I've come to the conclusion that as long as I'm with you, your lifespan will be cut short."

She snorted and crossed her arms. "You mean I'm going to die with you around? What kind of garbage is that?"

"It isn't nonsense! Because of me, you've gone into a coma and you almost died from Bakura's attack! You can't ignore that if not for me, you wouldn't have had to suffer!"

"I lived, didn't I? I love you, no matter what happens, Atem."

She tried to hug him, but he pushed her away. He turned towards the door and told her, "I'm leaving now, so you'll have the life you've always wanted before my interference. I already have the means to live by myself, so don't come after me. Sayonara."

He walked out, her body stilled from shock.

_Did he…? He did!_

She raced out after him, only to see him speed off on a motorcycle, the "KC" symbol painted on it the last thing she saw before his taillights disappeared.

"ATEM! COME BACK!" she screamed after him, then huffed angrily. "QUIT BEING SO SELFISH! WHAT ABOUT OUR KIDS?! WHAT ABOUT THE HAPPINESS I FOUND WITH YOU?!"

No answer, so she growled, "Dammit, he had this planned. Does he think that I'll be safe, what with Set-kun around and the Millennium Rod?"

She turned back to the road and shouted, "Fine! Just leave! I'm better off without you!"

Without another word, she whirled back to the school and stormed inside.

* * *

How many people expected that to be the end? Tell me honestly!

Please review!


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